To Meet Again
by Omega Devin
Summary: **COMPLETE** When her task is over, Miyu is left alone in the world when Larva is sent to the Darkness as well. However, Miyu finds a letter written by her silent companion that promises her that they will someday meet again...
1. Prologue

Notes and Disclaimers: I own nothing from Vampire Princess Miyu, except for my own characters

Notes and Disclaimers: I own nothing from Vampire Princess Miyu, except for my own characters. Even then, no money is coming off of this. Unlike my other story, this is based off (after, actually) of the Vampire Miyu OAVs. Enjoy the story.

To Meet Again

Prologue

A Cracked Seal

She tightened her grip around the blankets, but it was a futile move, as she did not feel the cold around her. It didn't matter now. Nothing did. 

Sitting in the middle of the main room of the old Japanese mansion, Miyu sat, alone, amongst a bed of thick, moth-eaten blankets. This was where she woke up at and had not moved since. The wind howled on the other side of the thin rice-paper walls, rattling them in their frames. The wind worked its way through the cracks in the walls, through the windowpanes, chilling the room to where without some means of a fire or something to heat the air, it would have been unbearable for most people. Still, Miyu ignored it with no effort. Her eyes stared at the floor before her, unseeing, unmoving, uncaring. She was really only consciously aware of one thing; she was now truly and utterly alone in the world.

It had happened so quickly that neither she nor Larva had a chance to react. She had no idea that her task would end so quickly. The way the Osa had put it when the seal was on her parents, it sounded as if it would take centuries to seal off every stray Shinma. Then…like lightning striking from a clear sky…it was done. They were all back in the darkness, every last one of them, as she had been sentenced to do. 

Well…almost all of them. It was that factor that had kept her from celebrating.

There was one Shinma still left in the world of the humans, one that she had not thought of until it was too late. That Shinma was Larva, her eternally silent companion and friend. When she had learned of this, it felt as a fist of ice had struck her in the heart, knocking the wind from her making it hard to breath. But she did not want to admit it…she refused to admit it…and actually tried to forget about it until that night when the horrible shadow of the Osa once again crossed her bedroom wall. Unlike the first time he had visited her home, she knew exactly what he had come for. He had come to tell her what she already knew…that it was time to send Larva, her beloved Larva, back to the world of Darkness.

Of course, Miyu had put up an exhausting battle, using every excuse that she knew to convince Larva otherwise. It had been her duty to return all _wandering _Shinma to the Dark, and Larva was not a Wandering Shinma. Ever since he first set foot on the Earth Realm, on the beach that fateful night when she awoke as a vampire and took his blood, he had never once interfered with a human life (except maybe her own, but she would not admit that, either). However, the Osa stood more stubborn than she could ever be, and the ultimate decision was that he was a Shinma, and had to go back. For once in a long, long time, Miyu was rendered speechless. With tears in her eyes for the first time in years, she turned to look at Larva, begging him to tell her it wasn't true.

Larva only looked down at her, not moving, and even through the mask Miyu could sense his feelings; that he knew that it had been coming for quite some time and there was no way to get around it. With a small cry she entered his arms and held onto him with all the strength that she had, her tears falling against his cloak as he held her back. This was not supposed to be this way, she thought through her tears. They were supposed to be together for eternity…to never be separated…the Osa _knew_ of her attachments to him, but did not care. It was then that she ultimately decided that life was cruel. 

It was all too soon when Larva pulled away from her gently, looking down at her through the eyes of his mask. He gently brought up a hand to touch her face, tracing its features with his slender fingers. The action was like a stab at her heart. She had seen this type of action preformed between human couples, usually right before a separation, when they would trace the features of their lover's face, as if they were imprinting every aspect into their minds. Tears spilled from Miyu's eyes as she leaned into the warmth of his hand, savoring his touch. "Don't go." She whispered.

Once again Larva drew his hand away, gently making her look up into his mask. She wanted to say more, but no words came to mind. What _was_ there left to say? Larva put a hand up to his mask, touching the lips with his fingers, then put it down to Miyu's face and touched the same fingers to her lips. A sob welded up in Miyu's throat but before she could do or say anything else Larva passed a hand over her eyes and everything went black.

When she awoke, she knew immediately that she was alone in the world. Larva was gone, returned to the Darkness with the Osa. Her task was now officially completed, but she did not feel like rejoicing. There was nothing left for her anymore. She began to desperately wish that she was with Larva with her mission uncompleted than having it done with nobody. And her parents…

Sudden anger boiled within. She had been lied to, deceived, by the Osa. He had promised her that when her task had been completed, the seal that held her parents would be released and they could go back to leading their normal lives before she awoke. It was a lie, a black lie. Her parents were dead, they had been for years. She could remember that if she pushed her ear to the seal they were trapped behind she could hear their heartbeats. But over the years the sound became fainter and further away, until it stopped completely. It was then that Miyu stopped caring about whether she ever completed her mission or not. What was the point? There was nothing there for her at the end. She should have stopped hunted down the stray Shinma. If she had, then she would still be with Larva now, just the two of them, as if had always been…

And now her own seal was still on her. It was supposed to be broken as well so she could finally shed this child's body and becoming a woman. And, as a woman, she would be able to live life again, to fall in love, to have children, a family of her own…to be with Larva, who was also to be released when her task was over. Neither seal had been taken off.

Lies. Deceptions. She had been nothing more than a puppet to dance on strings crafted of barbed wire. Osa was the one who made her dance for him, and she hated him for it.

Tears formed in her eyes again as the thought pierced her mind, her soul. Miyu ran to the nearest door and threw it open. Snow and freezing cold swept into the room, immediately chilling her flesh but she was more oblivious to it now than she had ever been before.

"Osa!" She yelled into the storm, but her words were lost in the howl of the wind. "You lied to me, Osa! You told me that I would be free! That my parents would be free! They're dead, Osa, you lied to me! Dammit, where are you?" Staggering, she took a step onto the porch, the snow stinging her bare feet. "Answer me! You lied! The seal's supposed to be gone, but my parents are dead!" She missed a step and fell off the porch, but she didn't stop there. She kept walking on, out into the field behind her house that bordered the forest.

The cold began to creep into her limbs rapidly, turning her fingers and toes blue, but she pressed on. So what if she died? She had nothing to live for…just a child stuck in a world of cruel hearts and souls for all eternity with no one to lean on, no one to hold her when she was lonely. She had danced to the destiny Osa set before her, and now that it was over, her life was over. 

Miyu lost all feeling in her arms and legs, but she still pressed on, tears freezing to her face, crying out to the Osa. "Please, bring him back! Do you enjoy in watching me suffer? Please, let me see him again…please…" The freezing cold of the snowstorm finally made its way to her mind and, for the second time that night, darkness consumed her.

***

When she awoke again, Miyu was a little disappointed that she hadn't frozen to death. However, there was a slight change to her surroundings. She was back in the house that she and Larva had been staying in, but she was in a different room. It was warm in here, much warmer than it had been before, and when she pushed herself to her elbows to see that a fire was burning in the small pit just to her right. She was also laying on a soft futon, covered by several of the old, worn blankets. Her head had been resting on a pillow. Somehow, someone had found her and brought her in from the snow and had taken care of her. She rubbed at her eyes and looked around, but she was alone, and there was no trace that anyone was here with her. Whoever it was gone, and probably had been for a while. With a sigh she lied down again. For as much as she wanted to cold to take her, the warmth of everything around her did feel good. She reached her arms over her head in a stretch, her fingers brushed against something that were laying beside her.

Miyu pushed herself to her elbows and looked at what she had touched, and gasped when she saw Larva's mask laying by her pillow. She sat up rather abruptly, making her head spin, to pick up the mask and look at it intently. The mask that had covered his face and silenced him all these years was off. Finally off. A warm feeling washed over Miyu. So his seal _had_ been released after all. It was something to be happy about. Her eyes watered again and she pressed the mask to her chest. At least he could be happy now and live a normal life…or whatever Shinma considered to be normal. Then she noticed the piece of paper that had been laying under the mask. She picked it up and skimmed over it. It had been written in a neat hand that, even though it was in Japanese, had an almost Western style too it. That meant only one person could have written it. Taking a deep breath, she read it more slowly.

__

My dearest Miyu,

There is so much I want to say to you, yet now I don't even know where to begin. 

I suppose, to start with, it was I that brought you in from the storm. The Osa, as cruel and heartless as he may seem, allowed me back into your world one last time to perform the duty I lived for, to protect you from harm. It was after I returned to the Darkness that he released my seal, freeing me from the mask. 

I want you to know, my love, that there was not a moment in my time with you that I even thought ill of you, not even when you took my blood. In fact, I cherish that very moment. I could not imagine my life without you, but now it seems that I must. I would given anything now to be with you, to see your face again, to finally be able to speak with you after so many years of silence, but it looks as if now it may be a while.

The Osa wanted me to inform you that he apologizes for the complications involving your seal, but it was in situations out of his control. However, he was able to remove a piece of it that will allow you to age in body some years before it closes again, but hopefully enough so you can lead the life you wanted.

I would give anything to be with you once again, my Miyu. I do not know where to begin to think of how much this pains you, but you must be strong in the face of it. I know you are strong, and you will survive. The winds of fate continue to blow on, and even though I am not there, I know that you can soar above it on your own wings. How I would love to see you fly.

Keep my mask close to your heart, Miyu, and remember that good-byes are not forever, nor will they ever will be. I promise that there will be the day when we will meet each other again, whether it be in this life or the next. My heart will not allow me to never see you again. 

Someday, my love. It is a promise on my life.

My life, my love, my soul forever.

There was no signature, but there needn't be one.

Swallowing hard, Miyu read the note again, then clutched it to her heart to prevent her tears from smearing the ink. Then, through her tears, she smiled, and the feeling of sadness and sorrow in her breast was gone. Shakily, she rose up from her futon and walked over the window, the one that faced west.

"Someday." She whispered to the moon that had penetrated through the gray clouds. "Someday. I'll be waiting."


	2. All These Years

Chapter One

Chapter One

All These Years

Miyu brushed a strand of long hair behind her ear before rising from her seat, swaying slightly as the bus took another turn. When it finally stopped at the bus stop, she slung her book bag over her shoulder, walked down the aisle, and with a small smile and a nod to the driver, who grinning back in a very sheepish way, stepped off. The sun was bright and very hot, and she had to squint against it as she rummage around in her bag for her sunglasses. Sighing, she looked around her, peering off into the distance. This stop was the closest to her home, but even then it was a long walk ahead of her. She could not even see it from where she stood. And in this heat…it would not be fun. With another sigh, she took off in the direction of her home as the bud drove away in a cloud of dust. 

The breeze offered little relief from the sun, but it brought with it the smell of the ocean, which provided some refreshment. Miyu's house was located close to the sea, exactly where she had always wanted it to be. It was actually a an old abandoned house that she had found by chance that looked like it had not been resided in for years. And it was old, indeed; Miyu had no electricity, no means of heating it in the winter besides an old fireplace and no means cooling it in the summer other than open windows. She must have spent a fortune on candles alone. It was a good thing that she lived close to the woods. She was fortunate enough to have indoor plumbing. 

Another thing she liked about her new home was that it was completely secluded, out of the way where no one could get to it. When she first moved into the house, she actually lost it sometimes. It was unlike the home she lived in with her parents, too, since there was a clear path that led up the hill right too it, located next to one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. Now she had not seen a soul since she got there. The path that she took through the thin woods that surrounded the coastline was so thinly trodden on that only her sensitive eyes could see that anyone traveled down it at all, so it was pointless for someone to wonder down it out of curiosity. 

But still, it was a house that she could call her own, but it wasn't a _home_. Not like the one that she lived in with her mother and father and Larva when her parents were gone… Maybe that was why she left. Too many bad memories. It was too lonely, and Miyu always felt saddened when she thought of it. But…that was behind her now. She had been doing well of not thinking about the past, and she didn't want to break that habit now and relive the pain.

With aid of the shade the trees cast down upon her, the heat of the day began to ease. She was not sure how long it took to walk home – she never officially timed it – but if she kept her mind busy, like now, thinking of the exam paper that was due at the end of next week, than she was home in no time. She smiled when she saw the old house. That was probably another reason why she fell in love with it; like her, it really didn't seem to fit into her surroundings. Here it was, built in Japan, not more than ten miles from the old capital, an old European house build right out from the Victorian age. It was tall, narrow, and bigger in the inside than it looked, with three large bedrooms, two large bathrooms, a family room, den, kitchen…a home for a family. It was completed with her own porch, balcony and even a few stone gargoyles. But no family lived here now. It was only her. How it got there, how built it, and where its builders came from did not concern her. The point was that it was hers now.

She walked in through the front door, which was always unlocked and facing out over the cliff, overlooking the deep blue ocean that seemed to go on forever. When she set down her book bag she could not help but gaze into the mirror set up on the vanity in the entrance hall. Even now, years after the seal replaced itself, when time stopped for her again, Miyu always thought that she was looking at a stranger when she looked upon her reflection. As the letter had said, part of the seal had been removed enough to allow her to age, and she felt the effects immediately. It felt as if somehow time was able to wrap itself around her again, and she could almost _feel_ herself growing again. She could _feel_ time making its way through the crack very slowly, returning her to normal until at last, almost a hundred years later, the crack was gone and the seal was back, stopping time for her yet again.

Although the time that passed was slow, it was not as if it had not taken its toll on Miyu. In a hundred years, she must have aged…say, seven? Eight? placing her in her early twenties, of about twenty-one of twenty-two. She had only grown a few inches, which she wished she had more of, but her hair was longer now, reaching down way past her waist, and her face took on the angels and high cheek-bones of womanhood. She wore her hair down almost all the time Not to mention her body had also taken on the normal curves of a woman, and after spending so long in the body of a child, it sometimes made her blush to think about it. Perhaps they were more than normal. As modest as she was, Miyu knew that where ever she went, men, both young and old, would stop whatever they were doing just to watch her walk by. Just over the last few years she had gotten more suitors that a girl would ever get in her entire life. More than all the girls in her class would get, and that was in any of the classes she was taking.

That was another problem she had to deal with…what was she going to do to keep herself occupied now that all the Shinma had returned to the Dark? She went back to what she normally did, and that was go to school, but there came a time when she realized that she was too old to go to a junior high anymore. So then it was off to high school, and to her amazement, she outgrew that too after about thirty years. Then there was the last thing…college. The nicest thing about that was that through all the scholarships that she had won throughout high school, she did not have to pay a cent for any school she chose to go to in all Japan. And possibly, America, as well. So that was where she was, currently; Yutarutomi University, on the outskirts of Kyoto, where she could attend for as long as she wanted, although within reason. And, like everywhere else, she was making the same connections with the humans. All the men swooned over her, all the women hated her because of it, and all her professors seemed to thoroughly agree that she was simply too smart for her own good. So for all of those combined together, Miyu really did not have any friends. But it was all for the better, she told herself as she changed into something more comfortable. Therefore it won't hurt when they leave. 

It was Thursday, so that meant that she had the day off work. Miyu wanted to keep a low profile where ever she went and who she met, so she worked in a small corner bookstore that was probably as old as her house. She barely even talked to her employer, and the store was so small and old that hardly anybody used it. But regardless of how many customers they received, Miyu was paid the same, and the money she got was more than enough to live by. Even though she was not hunting down stray Shinma anymore, she still only lived by blood, which was still an endless resource. With more people in the world now than ever, there was always a handful of people in mortal distress at any location. Most of her "victims" ended up being young men, especially now that she was older, seeing how they would kneel over the moment they say her and begged for her to take their blood when she offered their dreams in exchange for it. She still gave dreams, yes, as she had done ever since she Awoke. She just hoped now that she didn't end up in any of them.

With the rest of her evening free, Miyu walked back down the narrow staircase from her room upstairs, the one with the balcony so she could overlook the ocean. She immediately set on the annual task of pacing around her entire house, replacing the old, burnt-out nubs of old candles with new ones before the night got too dark. She still retained some of the unique characteristics that she had when she was younger, cutesy of being a vampire. Her eyes were still ten times as sharp in the darkness compared to a normal human, so she only needed about five candles to the larger rooms to see clearly. It was also nice not having to worry about preparing dinner or cleaning dishes (because of this, she did not own any) so she always had more time for her favorite pass times; reading, drawing, or just thinking to herself. 

Today she was in a rather good mood, so she set aside the thought of her term paper and picked up her thick-papered notebook, one of the many dozens that she owned and went outside onto her porch. She sat on the wooden porch swing that was hanging right outside her front window, listening to its familiar, comforting creak, and took out the pencil from the special pencil case that she had built right into the swing. It was there so she would not have to walk back into the house if she forgot it there. She flipped through her pages of scattered drawings to the one that she had been working on, of the gargoyle that she could see from where she was sitting. Just a few years ago, it had developed a very peculiar crack under one of its eyes that, when the light hit it just right in the morning when its stony skin was covered in dew and sea spray, it looked as if it was crying. Now it did not have that illusion, but she wanted to finish the body before she drew the tear. If she got up early the next morning, then she would be able to finish it.

Time slipped by her as she drew, but she hardly noticed nor cared. Miyu had all the time in the world. The only thing that ever caught her attention was the air; it had changed somehow. It was no longer hot, and she even found herself rubbing her arms for warmth. Then she noticed that the sun was gone, hidden behind rolling gray clouds that seemed to come out of no where. Literally no where, she thought as she peered up at them. She had not seen a single trace of a cloud all day, not even the high feathery ones that usually came out on a summer day. And it was getting cold. They were nearing summer, and a hot one at that, and now it felt like a fall storm, the ones that came just before the first snows. This meant that it was going to be a cold, dark night, and judging by those clouds, a good chance of rain. Miyu breathed in the scent that came in from the ocean on the wind. A very good chance. She set her sketchbook down and stood up, jumping down from the porch and making her was briskly to the woodpile on the side of her house. If it was going to be cold tonight, then it was best to make the fore now and be done with it so she would not have to come outside later. 

By the time Miyu actually got a fire going in the old cobblestone fireplace, raindrops had started to fall from above, softly at first, but they soon became driving and cold, chilling the night even more. Miyu's breath stood out as white steam as she stood on the porch, looking out to the ocean. A heavy fog had rolled in, so she could see nothing beyond the cliff but steely gray. However, she could hear the waves below the cliffs quiet clearly. It was an all-out storm moving in, she was sure of it, but in the summer? With a shake of her head, Miyu went back into her house, closing and locking the doors behind her.

The light from the fire cast eerie shadows around the front room; everything that was not cast in shades of red, orange or gold was solid black, and candles only made the effect all the more creepy. Miyu hardly noticed as she retraced her steps around the house, making sure all the windows were locked securely. The wind, which raged up as quickly as the storm had, had already blown open one of the windows in the den, the cold rain rushing in and dampened all the books that she had kept in there. The old house creaked loudly in the wind, almost as if it were in pain, but the groaning of the wood was actually the most comforting feature, the one that made her feel as if it were almost a home. Once all the windows were shut, closing out the chill of the storm, Miyu retrieved the book she was reading and retired to her favorite spot; the old oriental rug that was right by the fire.

The den and one of the rooms in the house that she had not slept in had actually been transformed into a library, which Miyu was, to say the least, very proud of. She had a copy of almost all the most famous novels ever written, dating back to centuries ago and, if she was lucky enough, in their original language. She had taken enough school over the years to where she was more or less fluent in English and knew enough German, Greek, French and Latin so it did not sound too terribly broken when she spoke them. Some of the other novels that were written in languages such as Dutch, Hindi, Russian, and Chinese usually had an English or Japanese counterpart. She was actually taking Chinese as a class at Yutarutomi now, but it would be a while before she could speak it comfortably. She had actually been taking many language courses, hoping to take more advanced one in the future such as Egyptian or hopefully one that originated from Africa, as well as many liberal arts classes as she could fit. It had always been one of her dreams to become a scholar; she certainly had the marks for it. It was a dream next to being a painter, that is.

But Miyu also had a small collection of books that one would find surprising to see in her possession. Nestled between all the mountains of classical and philosophical works was a copy of every vampire novel Miyu could find. The reason why one would find this odd was that because Miyu was as un traditional-vampirish as one could get. But yet she enjoyed reading them, some more than others. Her favorite were those by Anne Rice where her vampires, Louis and Armand and Lestat, were almost like her, except for the whole sunlight bit. She found those stories to be almost romantic and they captivated her, but they were as close to romance as Miyu would ever get. She despised any other form of romance novels, ever since she was young, still human even, especially those that had Fabio on the covers. Dear Lord, the man had been dead for nearly fifty years, and yet somehow his face still managed to end up on those covers! The thought of it made her stomach churn.

The thought of romance always saddened her a bit, on the down side, always reducing her from whatever mood she was in to looking at the ceiling, usually for hours, thinking about him. Her once servant, companion, friend...her Larva. He was gone from her life as well, a hundred years gone, from the moment her seal had cracked. She remembered the night that she had run out into a snowstorm in her despair, almost hoping that the cold would take her. When she passed out Larva had returned and brought her back to her home, leaving with her his mask and a note that was so beautiful that human males could not duplicate it even if they copied it word-for-word. She still slept with that note too, tucked safely under her pillow, and read it every night before the lights went off. The edges were worn down, the original corners gone, but she still treasured it as if it were the most precious thing in the world. And to her, it was. His mask lay on her nightstand, and there were still nights were she would fall asleep with it in her arms as a child would sleep with a teddy bear.

The first ten years had hurt. In fact, she could barely remember those ten years after Larva went back to the Dark. Miyu had shed so many tears in that time she sometimes thought that she would never had tears to cry again. She spent all that time at home, never leaving unless her need for blood was too great and she could not control herself anymore. Larva had told her in the note that she had to be strong since he was gone, but it was just so damn _hard_ for that time. Then, one day when the sun was shining high above, Miyu read the last part of the letter again and got up from her bed, put on a school uniform, and returned to her normal life. She had been sulking for too long, she decided. It was time to live again. Larva would not like it if she stayed sad all the time.

Miyu, seated by the warm and crackling fire, set down her book and gazed into the dancing flames. She wondered, not for the first time, where Larva was, what he was doing. Was he, at this moment, figuring out some way to come back to her as he had promised? Or had he settled down, and maybe even…started a family? She tore that thought away almost violently. No, he wouldn't have done that, would he? The letter had said that he would come back to her, someday…but, then again, it had been a hundred years. More than once Miyu had thought of the same thing, of finally settling down, but then she would read the letter and fling that thought aside too. He would be back, he promised. And she would be waiting when he did. How she longed to hear his voice again, to look into his face, into his eyes. It was so long ago… she could remember his face, his voice, but it was like looking upon them through a foggy window. 

Then there was the issue it would be a little hard to settle down with a human since she was immortal. Shinma were out of the question. They all hated her. So she waited, just as she said she would. That was why whenever a male suitor would question her rejection, she would look to the west, no matter where she was, and reply "Because I'm waiting."

Also, Larva was her soul mate. They _belonged_ together. They would be together again, one day. She could feel it.

Reluctantly, Miyu pushed Larva from her mind as well. She could spend hours thinking about him, but the thought always made her feel sad. She did her best to return to her book, but found it hard. Instead of rereading one of her classics, she retrieved her favorite book, a very worn copy of _Interview with the Vampire_ and returned to the fire. She read for maybe half an hour before she lost her concentration again. 

__

I need something to calm my mind, she thought, marking her and standing up, stretching her hands over her head. The storm beat against her house relentlessly, as if it wanted to come in and was threatening to break her door if it could not. Miyu was not afraid. It took a lot to scare her. She was just about to move into the kitchen to make some tea when something beat against the door.

Miyu swung around, facing her front door. Was she hearing things write? It sounded like someone had been knocking. No, _pounding_. She disregarded the sound as quickly as it had come. No, that was impossible. It was just the wind, or her swing being thumped against the other side of the wall. Yes, that was it. With a shrug she turned around again, only to have the same knocking again, louder and more furious this time. There was mistaking it that time.

There was someone on the other side of her front door.

* * *

Mwa ha ha! Are I not evil? Now, the three words you don't want to hear…

To be continued…


	3. The Unlocked Gate

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The Unlocked Gate

Swallowing hard, Miyu took a step forward and reached for the doorknob, then stopped. What if there was someone on the other side of the door that wanted to hurt her? Suddenly she felt very stupid to be thinking that way, like…like a _human_. She told herself to be rational about this. For one thing, no body knew that this house was out here, or that it even existed. Also, who would walk through the forest on a night like this? Then, in means of defending herself, she could always toast anyone who did attack her. It had been so long since she had to use her fire powers that she almost forgot that she had them at times. Taking a deep breath, she reached out her hand again and undid the lock, twisted the doorknob and opened her front door into the raging storm.

Lightning cracked and thunder roared from the sky as the light created eerie silhouettes of the three figures that stood on the other side of her door, dressed in long, dripping cloaks. Miyu gasped at the scent that wafted in on the wind. There was no denying it; these people were Shinma. Fire raged in her faster than any flame she could conjure in her hand, the fire in her eyes shaming the one in the fireplace. Shinma. The very beings that did this to her life. They were all supposed to be sent back. What the hell were _they_ doing _here? _Had the Osa lied to her again? She opened her mouth to say something, _anything _but she was so angry that nothing came out. When words failed her, she was just ready to release her fire on them when the one before her rose its hands up in means of a peaceful gesture and spoke.

"Please, Kyuuketsuki, we intend no ill. Be at peace and invite us in so that we may speak to you."

The voice made Miyu hesitant. No Shinma had ever spoken to her in that manner before, so calm, so civilized, treating her as if she was an equal rather than their warden. Her eyes remained narrow and she did not drop her guard, but rather stood straight, and even through she had only grown a few inches from her original height, she seemed to tower above them. Anger had still constricted her throat too tight to speak, so she only nodded and stepped away. 

"Thank you most kindly, my Lady." The Shinma in the middle said, stepping in through the door, followed by her – the voice was female – two companions. "'Tis frightful weather out there." Once again, the tone of voice took Miyu aback although she did not show it outwardly. Not even human had spoken to her like this before. Was it some type of trick? Right now all she wanted to know was why there were Shinma still in this world when they were all supposed to be sent back to the dark.

The Shinma stepped through the door, removing the sandals that they wore, muddied by the rain-croaked earth, and lowered the hoods of their cloaks. Miyu saw that all three of them were quiet elderly, the youngest a man looking about fifty and the oldest a man that looked…heavens, she couldn't even guess. The one that had been between the two men was an elderly woman looking about sixty or so, but other than her appearance there was nothing elderly about her, or of the two men with her. They stood up straight, having less of a slouch than people attending the same school as she did, their eyes sharp and clear. They also held a sort of air about them, as if they were very important people where they came from. From the Darkness. Where they were supposed to be. The mere thought brought rekindled anger, but Miyu was finally able to clear her voice and speak.

"Uh…may I ask who you are…and what are you doing in my world? You are all supposed to be in the Darkness, where I sent you."

"Patience, my Lady, and we will tell you everything." The elderly women said again, removing her sodden cloak and draping it over her arm. Miyu was slightly surprised to see that she was wearing the robes of a priestess. "But first, to begin with, maybe this can be discussed better over a cup of tea?"

__

How did I get myself into this… Miyu thought bitterly to herself as she worked in her kitchen, retrieving a dented copper pot and filling it with water from a bottle that stood on the ground. _More over, why am I doing this for _them? She glanced over her shoulder at the three Shinma that had now seated themselves in front of the fire, their legs tucked under them and one hand folded on top of the other on their laps. With a sigh and not bothering to question herself again, Miyu brought down the only real dishes she had, four small tea cups, and returned to the fire where she put the kettle over the flames and retired to a similar sitting position. Trying to keep her temper and her mouth in check, she said, "Now, tell me why you are here." It was more of a request rather than a question. 

"We are here to see you, Kanshisha. First, we must introduce ourselves. I am Kanyo, and my two traveling companions are Hirutashi and Anato. We are Shinma, yes, but we are not Wandering Shinma, nor have we ever been. In your eye, I have noticed, you see every Shinma that you encounter is wandering, correct?" Miyu nodded. "In fact, Miyu, a larger part of our race have no desire to become involved in the human world. Most Shinma enjoy their lives in the our Realm; slow, quiet, away from the hustle and filth of the human world. We like a life with little changes, and I also took note that you are like that as well." Once again, Miyu nodded. That was another reason why she liked this house. It was secluded away from the city, from any sort of town. Over the years the human race had advanced quickly, developing technologies that made their lives faster and easier. That was perhaps one reason why there were so many people begging for longer lives now a days; what they created was rushing their lives so much that they hardly had any time to enjoy themselves. Miyu liked to take life one day at a time, and so she stayed away from most human affairs except for school.

Kanyo continued. "Anyway, back on the subject, the ones that do like to get out into the human world – the Rebels, as we like to call them – have regrouped since you have sent them all back and our Realm has been sealed, and their powers are growing. Just a few weeks ago, they moved through the town that my companions and myself protect and punched a hole through the gateway." Miyu felt as if the bottom dropped out of the bottom of her stomach. Kanyo seemed to read her look and she looked at the ground. "I am sorry my Lady…for all the hard work you put in and the pain you had to endure over the years, there is a hole that links this world and the next, and we do not know how to seal it back. Now any Shinma is allowed to pass through that Gate into this world."

"So…what you're saying is that I have to start my task all over again?" It almost hurt to say that. In fact, it _did_ hurt. As Kanyo had said, all those years…loosing her parents, all her friends…after loosing Larva… A tight knot formed in her throat. Just when she thought that life would cut her a break…

But to her surprise, Kanyo held up a hand as if to stop the words Miyu had just muttered. "No, not quite, my Lady. We are here to offer you a preposition. You do not have to track down the stray Shinma as you once had, but rather come to our village, the one closest to the unlocked gate, and guard the opening. Had I and my companions been younger, we could have been able to do it ourselves, but with age our power becomes weaker. And you, Lady, are stronger now than the three of us put together, even in our youth. Far, far stronger than the majority of Shinma in the entire Realm. If you decide to come back with us, we will give to the proper lodgings you need as well as anything else you may need…as well as the honor and respect of a priestess and protectress. And…we may be able to help solve your little…misfortune."

Once again, Miyu swallowed hard and adverted her eyes. Just the mention of it made the scar it put on her heart burn again. And this was the scar that was next to the one that Larva's return had left. "You…know of that too?"

"Oh, yes." Hirutashi said, the first time that he spoke since they had arrived. "A grave misfortune, indeed, especially since you are the last."

"My dear," Kanyo said, reaching over to grasp Miyu's hand gently in her old leathery one. "I just want you to know that all the women of our world give you are sympathy. A very traumatic thing to endure alone, I'm sure."

"It is old news and nothing that people should pity now." Miyu said, hardening her voice. Then she sighed. "So basically what you want me to do is go to your world and guard this…hole that the Rebels created and protect it from its makers. The way I see it is that I'll be playing guardian again but having the Shinma come to me and prevent them from coming to earth?" The three elders that sat before her simultaneously nodded. Miyu sighed again. "Under one condition. If I do go, if my companion from the West ever returns, then he gets to stay, no questions asked."

"It is your say, my Lady." The oldest one, Anato said. It sounded like even his voice was crumbling. "The vampires are the elite of the Shinma world."

Miyu glanced at them out of the corner of her eye. "Where is this Gate?"

"About a mile from this very house." Kanyo answered. "An old Torii gate that under its pillars lays the hole. It will allow you to pass freely from this world and into our own. Will you accept the job?"

Miyu turned all the information over in her mind, thinking of the possible pros and cons. After several moments of this, she took a deep breath and answered, "All right. You have my cooperation. I will defend this…gateway." What else was there to do with her life?

The three elders bowed their heads to the ground so their foreheads brushed against the rug. "Thank you, my Lady. The Shinma who wish to keep our secrecy from the humans will be most grateful." They rose at the same time as well, as if they were one person. "We will send you a messenger once this weather clears up to lead you to the Gate. Until then, good night, my Lady."

With a swirl of their cloaks and a rush of cold wind, the three Shinma disappeared into the storm.

~~~***~~~

::dodges objects that are thrown at her:: I know, I know it wasn't Larva, but do you think I would have made it that easy? Mwaha! You're going to have to wait until the next chapter! ::laughs evilly and dies::

To be continued…


	4. Guardian

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Guardian

__

What on earth did I get myself into? Miyu did not know how many times she repeated that to herself for the remainder of the night, until she went to bed. The wind still howled outside and rain lashed at the windows, but Miyu had other things on her mind. After so many years, a full century after the last of the Shinma were sealed, a full century of peace and sorrow, they were back, and now asking her favors. And, to her surprise, she agreed to it.

__

Why? A small voice in her mind snapped at her, taking her slightly aback. _What do you owe to them? They were the ones that did this to your life, made you into what you are. They brought you misery, grief, pain, robbed you of everything you've ever cared about. Let them deal with their own problems. Let the humans learn about them and hunt them down like the dogs they are._

Yes, I should, but you forget. Miyu thought back. _You're Shinma too. And the 'elite', as they said. The humans would come after the leader first. How can you wait for Larva if you're dead?_

A new idea struck her like a thunderbolt, and she suddenly found herself wanting to guard the hole with a passion. With all the Shinma sealed off, there would have been no way for Larva to be able to get back to her into this world. But now there was an opening, and one that was not to be easily closed. Miyu had fought many Shinma from both the East and the West, and if the Western Shinma were as anxious to leave their Realm as the Japanese Shinma were, then that meant that the news of a way out would spread quickly to their shores. And then there would be the warning of a person guarding it, a vampire…Her heart began to beat quickly. Then, without a doubt, the news of a vampire guarding the only known way into the human's world would eventually get to Larva. A smile appeared on Miyu's face. That meant that, hopefully, he would return to her. That thought alone was enough to make her want to guard the hole with no questions asked. That night, before she blew out the candle beside her bed, she took out her cherished letter and read it again. For the first time in years. Miyu fell asleep in a very good mood and was happy to be an immortal.

It was still raining the next morning when she awoke, although the storm was not nearly as brutal as it was the night before. With a yawn, Miyu sat up in bed, stretching out her arms and back, and thought about the day. It was Friday; no classes today, but she had to be at work by five. Then she remembered what had happened the night before. She had been visited last night by three Shinma, telling her of a hole that had been torn between dimensions that could allow Shinma to pass freely from their world into this. They had asked her to be is guardian, which she agreed to do. Miyu frowned. They did not say how long she had to be at the tear guarding it, but something told her that work and school were not going to be playing a major part in her posed life anymore. She laughed bitterly; she was thinking like a human. 

With a sigh and wondering, despite the reason she had given herself just before she went to sleep the night before, if it was worth it, she climbed out of bed and began to get dressed. The elder Shinma had told her that they would send a messenger for her to lead her to the Torii gate the hole lay under.

Miyu had dealt with the Shinma her entire life, she was in love with one, but for some reason she was feeling very nervous. Was it because they were treating her with respect, as a living being rather than their sworn enemy? That they were actually nice to her and gave her sympathy for her condition? These new emotions towards her made her feel very uneasy. Should she trust them? It should not be anything to worry too greatly about. She had stood up against some pretty strong Shinma in the past and each one was sent back in bad condition with Miyu having no more then a few scratches and welts herself. It should not be a problem if they became a problem. Still, she could not stop herself from pacing around her house as she waited.

The rain had slackened to a gentle sprinkle at around two o'clock in the afternoon. It was about the time that there was a knock on the door. Miyu sprang to her feet from where she was stilling by the fire, her book falling to the floor. That could only be the messenger. Drawing in a deep breath to calm herself, she smoothed out the wrinkles of her blouse and pants and went to open the door. 

No one needed to tell Miyu that the two figures on the other side of the door were Shinma, but they were unlike any Shinma that she had seen before. They actually looked more like the classical demons in ancient Japanese scrolls and manuscripts that she had to research for her ancient Japanese Mythology and Folklore class that she took some forty-odd years ago. Both of them were two heads taller than she was and too wide to fit through the narrow door, dressed in traditional armor that feudal guards of a noble palace might have worn. Both had an over-sized katana at the hip and carried long staffs with heavy curved blades at the end. They looked human enough, except for their heads. One of them had the head of an ox, the other the head of a horse. Most humans would have died from fear at the mere sight of them, but Miyu could not say that she was not a little intimidated, but she did not let it show. When her eyes met theirs, the fierce, demon-like eyes widened as if they had never seen her before and, to her surprise, dropped to their knees at the same time.

"My Lady," the Shinma was the horse-head said. His voice was low, raspy, but nonetheless humbled. "It is an honor, one that this lowly soul does not deserve. Please, if you will follow us, my lady Kanyo has asked us to escort you to the Torii gate of which the hole is located, to our village in the Japanese Shinma Realm." Without looking up, the ox-headed Shinma reached up a thick arm. Something white, some sort of silky material was draped across it.

"If my Lady will please put this on, it will make her inconspicuous to any rebel Shinma who may be in the area. We do not want any harm to come to her along the way." The ox-Shinma growled. He seemed to be even more humbled than his horse-headed companion. Without saying a word herself, Miyu picked up the silken material and unfolded it, looking it over. It looked like a shawl, the ones usually worn by a woman of high social standing when she was out in the open. Miyu grimaced a little, hesitating. This was almost more awkward than the attitude that the Shinma took to her last night. But these Shinma were groveling! "Please, my Lady." The ox-headed Shinma said. "We mean no harm. The shawl contains a seal that will keep you safe. The Elders are waiting."

"Y-yes, of course." Miyu finally found her voice, putting on the shawl so it covered her head just barely. Right about now she was really preferring to be in her life of solitude than to be pampered like some princess. Taking in a deep breath to hide her unease, Miyu stepped out the door, shut it behind her, and walked past the two kneeling Shinma, being careful to not touch them. They did not move as she passed. "Um…shall we get going?"

"Oh, but my Lady has not bid us to rise yet." The horse-headed Shinma said, his head sinking even lower.

Miyu frowned, but was nonetheless amused. "Oh…you may rise then." Both Shinma scrambled to their feet, a little clumsily, and turned to face her, making their way down the old wooden steps. "Lead the way."

The drizzle was cold, but Miyu hardly noticed it. Her mind was on too many other things at the moment. The two huge Shinma stood on either side of her, protectively, their bladed staffs poised and their heads and eyes turning often, as if watching for some unknown enemy, but there was no one to be seen for miles around them. The sky was steely gray and the wind cold. Not more than a hundred feet away the landscape dropped away to the sheer cliff that bordered the ocean. Miyu could here the crashing waves beyond, and that was a sign that she was even in deeper thought than she would have originally thought herself to be. It was a time that she had so many thoughts running through her head that she knew she would not be able to recall half of what passed through her mind. 

What could she expect on the other side? Were the Shinma that resided on the other side of the hole to be as courteous and kindly as the Shinma who had visited her last night, as these Shinma now were acting towards her? Or was it just these Shinma? What if these two were only acting like this because they were under orders? What is _all_ the Shinma still hated her, and this was just some attempt to make her a puppet again?

If she was alone, Miyu would have slapped herself, but instead she only scolded herself silently. _Stop thinking like that. You judge people too easily, and too soon. Wait until you're actually _there_. Then you can determine how these people really are._ She struggled to keep her thoughts quiet and organized until they finally reached the Gate.

The ancient Torii gate loomed in front of her, its wood dark red and slick with rainwater and cracked from years of standing in all sorts of harsh weather. These types of Gates were usually but before the sacred Buddha and Shinto temples of Japan, but there was no building of any sort to be seen anywhere. Only the gray sky and sodden earth and beyond the cliffs, a dark menacing ocean to been seen, unbroken by anything except for the oddly placed Gate. Miyu peered hard at it, where the Shinma had told her where the hold would be. Even with her sharp vampire eyes, she did not see anything.

"This way, my Lady." The horse-headed Shinma said gently, making a soft motion with his huge hand as he lead her towards the center of the Gate.

"I…I see nothing." She said when they were standing directly under the massive Torii Gate.

"Step closer, Lady. It is there." Said the ox-headed Shinma. Miyu frowned slightly at him. Although his tone was gentle as well, it sounded too suspicious. Instead of saying anything, she straightened her back and took a step closer. Then she felt it. There was definitely a disturbance in the area, something that had been created by a dark hand. The feeling of it was as pungent as a vile smell, and Miyu wrinkled her nose in spite of herself. Slowly she extended her pale hand out, thinking that she was going to touch nothingness, but something else happened. A cold feeling washed over her arm and her hand vanished into thin air.

Miyu gasped and pulled her arm back sharply. Her hand slid back out of the nothingness. The air was feeling surprisingly warm compared to…whatever…it had disappeared into. "That…that was…"

"The hole that the rebels have torn." The horse-headed Shinma responded. "Do not worry, my Lady, it will not harm you. If you want, I will go first and escort you through. The first trip may seem a little rough."

Miyu rubbed her hand, trying to generate more warmth into it. She had just touched the Darkness. It was so cold, so damp…that was what Larva had been set back to? No wonder Shinma did not want to be there. It felt horrible. And she was supposed to go into it herself? She suddenly felt sick, and a strong urge to refuse them, turn down the position of guardianship and turn back. But…she had agreed to it, even if she regretted it now. Clenching her jaw, she looked up at her horse-headed guide. He smiled at her, or at least how ever well a horse could smile, but his eyes were gentle and spoke of the truth. Miyu nodded and swept her hand towards the hole.

The Shinma looked ecstatic to be given permission to help "his Lady" through and all but jumped through the hole. Like her hand, he disappeared into nothingness, into thin air. Miyu paused for a moment, thinking. "Do not be frightened, my Lady." The ox-headed Shinma said, placing his hand softly on her shoulder. "It is a quick journey, and will all be over shortly." Miyu looked back to where the hole was, held her breath, and stepped through without stopping herself.

It felt as if she had fallen into a frozen lake as a penetrating cold pierced through her body, making her gasp. All air was sucked from her lungs as thin icy needles speared at her chest, making it too painful to try to breath. She squeezed her eyes closed, but she could tell that the only thing that surrounded her was darkness; horrible, unending darkness. The Dark. It was more horrible than anything she had ever dreamed about, and she had let the one man she cared about wander here for all eternity…she knew that she could never forgive herself, never again…

There was a bump, and the freezing cold broke. Miyu was pitched forward violently, the air rushing back into her lungs so quickly that it hurt, the icy needles melting. Something caught her, and when she was finally able to open her eyes again she saw that she was being held by the horse-headed Shinma. The world was spinning madly, making her feel sick. A voice drifted at her from across a void… 

"My Lady…my Lady…" It was the Shinma that was supporting her, and then the voice of his companion joined his as the ox-headed Shinma came through the other side of the hole as well. "My Lady…my Lady, are you well?"

Miyu blinked her eyes hard a few times, trying to adjust them to the light. Light? Not Darkness? If they were in the Darkness, why was there light? The thought made her try to push herself to her feet, out of the Shinma's arms, to see exactly where she was.

This was not the Darkness at all, or at least it did not look like it. She was in Japan; or at least, what she thought was in Japan. The ocean rolled on forever to the west, glistening with the sun that was hidden behind a gray blanket. To the east, tall, snow-capped mountains reached for the sky, creating a sort of border that would have been impossible to cross. And below her was a valley, and the village nestled safely in it, reaching out to the ocean and over to the fields of rice-patties. The buildings were small, traditional, and classic. Then Miyu knew. The smell, the presence, the overall _look_ and _feeling_ of the area…like the shawl she wore, the armor that her escorts wore, and the way that the Shinma spoke to her, she was back in feudal Japan.

There was a slight tugging at her arm, breaking her awed thought. "My Lady _Kanshisha,_ my Lady Kanyo awaits." The ox-headed Shinma told her. With a nod, Miyu allowed herself to be lead down the hill towards the village below.

Miyu did not realize that they were in the village until the small buildings rose up all around her. The streets were full of life from, she realized with a small shock, the resident Shinma. She had not seen so many in one place at one time since she was a child, and the sight caused her more unease than the two Shinma had when she saw them for the first time. Most of the Shinma, again, looked unlike ones that she had seen before. In fact, most actually looked human except for a few minor details like a pointed ears, wings and tails, extra eyes or markings on their faces. Some of them did look slightly inhuman, maybe a bit like animals or ogres, but there was something about all of them that set them apart from all other Shinma that Miyu had even encountered. When they looked at her, there was no trace of fear, anger or hatred in their eyes. They looked at her with mild confusion, but in the way as her two escorts had when they first saw her. They were looking at her with…respect.

The two Shinma lead Miyu to the very edge of the town, which was at the foot of a sloping hill not more than fifty feet away from the ocean. At the end was a small house built in the traditional Japanese style, but this one had many decorations on the outside of it that the other buildings lacked; dried herbs and plants, animal skins, and various spiritual wards. Miyu found the wards especially odd since they were, after all, in a spirit realm. The small party approached the door, which was a curtain of reeds strung together, and pushed it open.

Kanyo was seated on the other side of the curtain beside a small fire pit, her eyes closed as if in meditation. The air inside was still and quiet, the feeling on concentration and spiritual focus. Miyu took a cautious step into the hut and was about to open her mouth to say something when Kanyo spoke first. "Hello, Miyu. I am glad to see that you have decided to come. I was beginning to have my doubts. Sit, please. I was just about to put tea onto the fire. Rumoke, Zashe, you are excused."

Both Shinma bowed low, mumbling "Thank you, Lady," as they backed out of the door and out of sight.

"They are good men." Kanyo continued as Miyu took a seat on the mat close to the elder Shinma. "I am sorry if they have frightened you, but they are actually the kindest of my men."

"Y-yes, I have noticed." Miyu said, finding her voice.

"So, Miyu…" Kanyo began, setting a copper kettle onto the flames. Literally, onto the flames, with no grate or handle to hang by; it hung a few inches away from the burning logs. It was then that Miyu also noticed that the flames were blue. "Let me tell you know that you are more than welcome to leave at any time and never have to look back. No one is making you take this job. I can already sense some unease from you…"

"It's only from the people, how they looked at me, and this land…I thought that this Darkness was…"

Kanyo held up a weathered hand. "Please, my Lady, I think it would be best if I told you what you should be expecting from this job, if you were to take it. Then you may be free to ask as many question as you wish. I fear only that if you ask now, and refuse the job, then the facts you learn will haunt your mind to near depression.

"Understand now, that you will not only be guarding the hole, but also fighting against those who wish to go through. These will be the rebel Shinma as we have talked about before, from both the East and the West, and some, we may fear, are fairly powerful ones at that. I understand that you are strong in power yourself, perhaps so you can suppress the rebels with little effort, but there may be times they attack at once. Also, until we find some way to seal the hole, you may be seated at that position for a long time, perhaps thousands of years. Knowing this, do you still wish to take the position as guardian?"

Miyu turned over all the information in her head. "Kanyo, please understand that I was born as raised as a human for more than a decade of my life. Even know, a few hundred years after I have Awoken, I still think on human terms. One of the reasons why I will take the position as Guardian as a way to pass the time. I am still…unused to being an immortal."

Kanyo sat back, looking Miyu over. "So you will accept, despite what I have just told you?"

Miyu nodded. Kanyo looked pleased.

In one swift motion, Kanyo rose to her feet and crossed over to a low chest that was set against one of her walls. She opened it and pulled out what looked like red and white folded clothing, which she handed to Miyu when she returned to her mat. Miyu took the clothes and unfolded them, then gasped at what they really were. She was holding the robes of what a Shinto priestess wore. "Am I…is this was I am to wear?" She asked the elder. Kanyo nodded. Miyu frowned, setting the robes aside. "Kanyo, I can't. It's…not right. Only a fully trained priestess is allowed to wear those. I don't know a thing about spiritual training or powers."

"Then I shall teach you. Did you think that the other Elders and I would stick you at the Gate without any proper training to defend yourself with? You, like all the other vampires, Miyu, have special spiritual powers here," She reached forward and placed a bony finger on Miyu's chest. "that have yet to be touched. I will teach you. The hole is still new enough that we have some time before the rebels begin to arrive. I can teach you the magic of herbs and plants, Hirutashi can teach you how to handle a weapon if you so desire. And I can also teach you how to tap into the powers of your very soul." Her hand moved from Miyu's chest to gently gasp a hand. The skin of her own hand was hard, but very warm, making Miyu feel at peace. "The robes are only a matter of clothing. The true spirit of a person comes from within. That makes you who you are."

Miyu considered Kanyo's words, and a sudden pleasant feeling washed over her. No one had spoken to her since her mother was alive. Since Larva had written her that beautiful letter. Miyu smiled and said, "All right. Teach me."

------

To be continued…

------

Author's note: Hey guys, sorry there was so much talking in that one, but guess what? There will be more talking in the next too! ::dodges sharp objects thrown at her.:: Yeah, Larva won't come back yet or…will he? Dun, dun, dun! Ah, I don't know…sorry it took so long for me to u/d, but I'm not used to writing in this style, all romancy and stuff. I also don't know how long I can keep it up before it becomes incredibly cheesy and mushy, but I'll try, so don't kill me if I leave it uncompleted, kay?

Until next time! Ja ne!


	5. The First Task

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The First Task

"And this one…" Kanyo instructed, reaching past Miyu to pull out a greenish-white, broad-leafed plant from the ground by its roots. "When the leaves are powdered and added to water that has been also mixed with the catsclaw can sooth the worse of burns. Do you remember what the catsclaw is?" Miyu sifted through the growing collection of plants and herbs until she found a thick-leafed plant with small, pointed leaves and hooked thorns growing along its length. "Yes, very good. And what also can catsclaw do?"

"The roots can be used for soothing indigestion." Miyu repeated as Kanyo had told her earlier.

"Very good. You're catching on quickly. Usually it takes some of my pupils months to learn what you have learned in the past week alone. Has Hirutashi spoken to you yet about any sort of weapons training?"

"Yes, just yesterday." Miyu answered, gently placing the latest plant Kanyo handed to her and placing it into the basket with all the others. 

"And your decision…?"

"Bow and arrow. I actually start later today, when we're done here." Miyu said with a little waver to her voice. She had never thought of herself holding any sort of weapon, let alone knowing how to use one, but when she was younger she never had to worry about handling anything that would be used to defend herself. But, then again, when she was younger Larva had been there to do that for her. Now Larva was not with her and she would be facing off against dangerous Shinma for the first time since she sealed off the last one, meaning that she was going to need to defend herself in some way. 

"Then we shouldn't keep him waiting, then." Kanyo said, raising to her feet and taking the basket that Miyu handed to her. "Oh, I'm almost too old to be doing this anymore. We'll continue this lesson tomorrow. Hopefully the blue-eyes will be in bloom by then."

Miyu nodded, then glanced over her shoulder for about the dozenth time since they had come out here, just beside the river that flowed out from the mountains and met the sea. "What is it, child?" Kanyo asked, noticing Miyu's unease.

"Those children…" Miyu said, nodding with her head to the spot where all the young Shinma children had been crouched behind a bunch of low-growing shrubs. "They have been there since we first came out here, but their eyes have not left me for the entire time. Why…do you think that is?" Miyu expected that she knew the answer. They probably heard stories from their parents about the vampire sentinel and any stories that were attached to it. And, coming from Shinma, the stories were probably nothing good.

Kanyo craned her old neck over to the spot where Miyu had indicated, then a warm smile spread on her leathery face. "Ah, my dear, I guess the stories are true, then."

"Stories?" Miyu stiffened. She had assumed right. "What stories?"

"All of their parents have told me that their children are very taken with you, my Lady." Miyu was taken aback. "And I have heard the children speaking of you myself. They are always speaking of how pretty you are, how warm your smile is; but if they could see your real smile besides that nervous little half one you got I'm sure that they'll think much more of it. A few of them even say that you smell good." Miyu could not help but to laugh at that part. "Those are signs among the Shinma that they feel comfortable around you and, more importantly, that they like you. That is very good. Even if their parents feel uneasy around you, it should be a comfort that their children will like you later in their lives."

"Yes, I suppose so." Miyu said slowly, looking towards the small group of children. When they saw that she was looking at them, they all giggled and ducked out of site. The action of child innocence and playfulness made Miyu smile, although it was a small, sad smile. She remembered briefly how much she liked children, but the same thought brought with it a flash of painful sorrow. Before it had a thought to dominate her previous good mood, Miyu shoved the sadness away. "They are adorable, aren't they?"

As if she sensed Miyu's pain, Kanyo laid a comforting hand on her arm. "Don't let it get you down, dear. Come, we should go so you can start your lessons before it gets dark." Miyu nodded in agreement and allowed the elder Shinma to lead her back to the village. Sure enough, Hirutashi was standing on the outskirts on the busy village with two longbows, one in each hand, and a few full sets of quivers propped up on the ground. He frowned disapprovingly at Kanyo as the elder woman and Miyu approached, holding the baskets of herbs and medical plants in their airs.

"Don't make such a face at me, Hirutashi." Kanyo retorted even before he had a chance to say anything. "It makes you look more frightful than you already are." Behind her, Miyu suppressed a giggle.

"You cannot keep her all to yourself, Kanyo." Hirutashi said, his frown still holding. "M'Lady has to learn how to defend herself against whatever tries to get through that Gate. I think that that is a bit more important than learning what plants are capable of doing what." Kanyo smirked, but nonetheless turned back around to take the basket from Miyu's hands.

"Better not keep him waiting, dear. His teeth might start to fall out." This time Miyu did laugh, even though Hirutashi looked younger than Kanyo, even though he still appeared to be well more than twice as old as Miyu. The man's frown deepened, but he picked up one of the longbows and tested the string as Kanyo bid farewell to Miyu until later that night.

Hirutashi wasted no time in showing the young vampire all the basic techniques there was to know about how to properly notch and draw an arrow correctly, how to stand, and how to fire so the arrow would fly and true every time. And, surprisingly, they did. Miyu adapted the style and techniques in little to no time in all, and by the time the sun was setting on their first lesson, the straw and burlap dummy that she had been thoroughly pincushioned. Hirutashi was fairly impressed by her newly acquired skill and seemed to think it impossible that she had never handled a bow before in her life. Even some of the other warriors that stood around the field as they practiced looked impressed. 

"Well, m'Lady," Hirutashi said once the initial shock was over. "I think we can both say that you will have no problem dealing with anything that tries to cross your path. It is getting late, though, so we should both turn in for the night."

It was midnight when she was awoke from her first truly peaceful night's sleep for the first time in weeks. The small hut that she had been staying in since she had come here was dark and silent. The only light was the thin sliver of silver moonlight that filtered in through the reed door. The fire that burned in the pit in the center of the one-roomed hut had long ago been reduced to embers, allowing the cold and the dampness of the night to begin to seep in. Nothing moved, nothing made a sound, but Miyu knew that there was something wrong. Without knowing what it was and wasting little time, she rose from her futon, dressed in her red and white robes, gathered her longbow and quiver of arrow, pushed back the reed door and ventured out into the night. 

There was little difference between the inside of her hut and the outside. The world beyond the door too was dark, quiet and cold. The moon was more than half-full but did little to illuminate the world of the Japanese Shinma beyond. The silver light only lit up the silhouettes of the trees and land, and even Miyu's sharp eyes did little to decipher any true details. But with even without being about to see anything, she still knew that there was something not right; she could feel it deep in her veins. Without thinking twice, she took off for the Torii gate at a brisk jog.

The area that surrounded the Gate was no different than the rest of the world at night. Only now, Miyu knew that she was not alone out here. Even though she could not see it, Miyu could feel it and knew its objective; it was trying to get through the hole into the human world. She took a deep breath. It was now time to uphold her title as the Guardian. Biting back all other feelings that may have been in her mind at that time, she made her way carefully down the hill and approached the Gate.

What ever it was, it was hiding and was good at it. Back when hunting down Shinma was a normal routine for her, Miyu could find one blindfolded in the middle of a dark room. But this one set up some type of barrier, splitting up its presence so it felt as if it were in several different places at once. A Shinma who was weaker in power would have immediately assumed that there were several in the same area and would have become panicked, thinking that it was greatly outnumbered. It was now trying to pull that same trick on Miyu, but she knew better. It was a cheep trick of self-defense, but every single presence that surrounded her felt exactly the same. It was only one Shinma, but the question is, where was it really?

Miyu changed her concentration to her breathing, making her intake of breath slow and even, her heartbeat slowing and growing quieter. Slowly her eyes drifted closed and she reached out with her mind, searching, probing the area gently. It was a movement so small that the hiding Shinma did not seem to notice it. It stayed in its hiding place, sometimes moving slightly to make all its copies move as well, another feeble attempt to shake her. Miyu hardly noticed. The scanned the entire perimeter of the area, touching each of the copies and passed through each one as if it were fog. She still continued to search, gently reaching out until…

There. She finally came in contact with a solid form, behind her and a little to the right.

The Shinma in the tree did not move when her mind came into contact with it. Slowly, very slowly, Miyu began to raise a hand, making its way inch by inch to the quiver on her back. She drew the arrow slowly when her fingers came in contact with the fletching, bringing it down and knocking it to the longbow. Still, the Shinma remained still, watching her. Miyu knew that she had to time this just right or she would loose it. It seemed to be waiting for her to move first so it could make a break for the hole under the Gate.

To her unexpected surprise, it was the Shinma that struck first, leaping at her so fast from the trees that she barely had time to respond. Without thinking twice, Miyu rounded on it and fired the arrow.

The Shinma was small, perhaps no larger than a good-sized bird, but looked more like the bizarre lovechild of a bat and a manta ray with a large mouth. A very large mouth full of long, sharp teeth. The dove at her with a hiss that sounded like something being singed by fire and bones being crumbled to dust. The arrow cut through the air and would have hit home had the thing not moved out of the way. It did not miss completely, though, and cut along the black, leathery looking skin along its back, leaving a wound that was green and had began to fester on the spot. Once the arrow had been fired Miyu had to duck, throwing herself to the ground as the Shinma fly over her with a howl of pain and rage. Its long, whip-like tail snapped at her hair, but otherwise missed as it pulled up out of the dive and up into the night sky.

By the time Miyu was on her feet again it was coming back, its three red eyes flashing madly in its head. Her mind was racing but not clouded by fear or anxiety. Instead Miyu reached again for another arrow in her quiver, knocked it, pulled the string back to her ear and fired.

The arrow hit home as it drove itself straight into the Shinma's mouth. The creature exploded in a spray of foul green and black flesh. Bits and pieces rained down on Miyu, but she had nonetheless won the fight. Her first battle against a Shinma in nearly a century. As much as she hated it back then, now it felt…almost good.

Her moment of joy was broken by laughter and clapping that rose out of the once again silent night air.

"Well, that was the first of them sniffing out the hole that allows them back into the human world." A raspy sort of voice said. "Very well fought, my Lady. Now I see why they chose you as the guardian."

Miyu had an arrow knocked and drawn back faster than she had during the attack, pointing straight at the figure that stepped out from the shadows of the forest. It was darker there, a shade of black that even her sharp eyes had a hard time seeing through. Deciding that it was dumb to be facing off against someone that she could not see, she ignited a fireball that hovered just beside her, giving off enough light for her to see who it was walking up to her. When she did see him, she lowered her arrow in surprise rather than in shock.


	6. Unexpected Meetings

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Unexpected Meetings

What Miyu saw made her feel as if she had stepped into an ancient Japanese wall scroll, but by now it was nothing new. She had never been tall herself, and the creature that stood before her was only half of her height, like a child, but she knew almost right away that it…eer, he…was far older than she was. She wondered how she was able to figure that out; certainly not by looking at his face, since it was the face of a fox, the fine fur silky and dull orange. He was dressed in traditional Japanese robes and was carrying a staff in his…paw. And behind him, he did not have one tail, but five. Miyu blinked again. What she was looking at was a traditional _Kitsune_ fox spirit.

"I…" She shook her head, as if trying to shake away what she was seeing, but when she opened her eyes he was still standing patiently before her. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

The _Kitsune_ chuckled. "No, my Lady, unfortunately not. Allow me to introduce myself; I am Rou, just your typical fox-spirit. But I have been observing you for quite some time, but tonight was the first time I got so actually see you in action."

"Ah...well…" Miyu was not sure what to say. What _could_ she say? "It actually was…my first time defending the tear from any real Shinma…"

Rou laughed, waving his free hand before him. "No, not tonight, m'Lady. I mean, ever. Ever since you were a young lass chasing around those disgraceful lowlifes who enjoyed to make your life miserable. I, myself, never had the honor to face of against you myself, which is something I continuously reprise myself for." 

At this, Vixen was certainly taken aback. "Wait a moment, slow down; are you telling me that you actually _wanted_ to fight me?" The concept was insane, unheard of! 

"Oh indeed, my Lady. There are actually many Shinma in this realm who wanted to test their strengths against you, but were not permitted to because that meant crossing over to the human's world. Not all Shinma are evil, my dear guardian. It was only the ruthless uncaring bastards that had the gall enough to make their way into your world to cause the sort of trouble that they did."

Miyu frowned, cocking her head to the side a little. Should she trust this Shinma? It had been proven to her that not all Shinma were evil, true, but how was she certain that this _kitsune_ was not planning on hitting her on the head with that staff of his and making a run for the hole? "Are you saying that you want to fight against me?"

Once again, Rou laughed, showing rows of pointy little fox-fangs. "No, my Lady, not at all. If I did want to fight you, I would have done it long ago. I have heard the stories, and I know that I would have been defeated before I even tried to do anything myself."

"You Shinma flatter me." Miyu's voice was flat, and whether she intended it to be that way or not she was not sure. "Ever since I came here, I've been treated like some sort of princess or something."

"Well, you are essentially a legend already, my Lady. The elite of the Japanese Shinma, it is certainly something to talk about."

"Listen, ah, Rou…I don't mean to sound rude, but what are you here for exactly? I mean, people…um, sorry…_kitsune_ spirits just don't appear out in the middle of the night to praise me when I finish destroying a Shinma. Is there any particular reason you're here?"

At this, Rou sighed. "Yes, I suppose you are right…I have come to offer you my services, my Lady. You have been hunting down Shinma for many years, yes, but I fear that some of the opponents you face now are…different. Deadlier. There are some Shinma who had no reason to venture into the human world, but now they seem to feel the need to return. I can be of assistance to you. I have done for most of my life what I have done tonight; I watch them from the shadows. I know many a weakness to these monsters. Let me help you. True, I may only have five of my nine tales, but I can help you defeat them."

For a moment, Miyu did not say anything as she chewed on her lower lip, turning all the information over in her mind. Should she trust this Shinma? It had already been proven that there were some trustworthy Shinma out there, so why not him? There was no air of deception about him. Finally, she sighed. Oh, why not? Besides, what did she have to loose? "Well…I suppose so. It might be helpful to have someone with that type of knowledge on my side."

"My Lady," Rou grinning broadly and swept a low bow. "You will not be disappointed."

* * *

The weeks passed by steadily. Or was it really weeks? Miyu was not sure. Time seemed to flow slowly here, if it really flowed at all. But one thing was fir sure, she certainly did not have any objections towards it. She was learning to like it here, the peacefulness of the Feudal Ages, the simplicity of life, the friendliness of its people. When Miyu was not defending the Gate or having her lessons with Kanyo or Hirutashi, she was spending her time with the children of the village. Like Kanyo had said, they seemed to take a certain shine to her, and when she was not with her elders, she was seldom alone the rest of the time, as she was usually surrounded by the children of the village. They often followed her when she was gathering herbs and flowers for Kanyo. What surprised Miyu the most was when they asked her to tell stories about her past "adventures" as the vampire princess and hunting down the stray Shinma. This surprised Miyu, as they were asking her to tell the stories of when she would hunt down their own kind, but they nonetheless enjoyed them to no end. The one that they enjoyed the most, especially the older girls, was the story of the letter that Larva had left for Miyu when he was sealed away. When even Miyu was finished telling it, they would all sigh and say how romantic it was with dreamy looks in their eyes. Even though they were Shinma they were still no different than junior high school girls.

Rou had turned out to be extremely helpful, even though he clung to Miyu like a second shadow. He himself never got involved in any of the fights, but he would always tell Miyu exactly where the Shinma's weakness was, so it made short work of the battle. This was the first time that Miyu ever had to actually destroy the Shinma that tried to get through, but what other choice was she left with? So far, the only Shinma she had to deal with were the weakest types, the ones that resembled animals. She had the feeling that she views would change once she had to deal with the ones that took on a more human form.

So went life; simple, easy-going.

That was soon to change.

* * *

"M'Lady!"

Miyu turned to the call, setting the herbs down. Several of the children looked too, and Rou's ears perked up as an elderly Shinma man approached the small field that they were all in. He looked human, if you ignore the third blood-shot eyes. Miyu had spoken to him a few times before, and he was really a nice man. His daughter was, in fact, in the field with Miyu then. "Yes? What is it?"

"There do be a disturbance in the forest, m'Lady." He said. "A few of the hunters that doth return speak of it. A foreigner…"

A this, Miyu was nearly on her feet. "A foreigner? From where?"

"I do not know, m'Lady. Methinks it may be from the west…"

"My horse." Miyu said suddenly, straightening all the way. "Get my horse. I will check it out immediately." The man nodded and rushed off.

"Is it bad, Miyu?" Rou asked, coming up beside her. "I myself have never dealt with the Westerners before…"

"I do not know." Miyu responded as she made her way out of the field, back towards the village. "I have dealt with them very little myself. But still…" She remained silent for a moment, her heart pounding, her mind bordering on confusion and overwhelming joy. Could it be him? Had he really returned? But, if so, why was he in the forest? "Children, I shall return later! We will continue the lesson another time!" The children, confused by the guardian's sudden departure, only nodded in response, gathering their flowers and returning home. The man returned with her horse, a rather ominous looking creature with a fiery mane, sunken eyes and a mouth that stretched almost to his eyes. He was a sweet beast, though, and never lead Miyu wrong when she had to be somewhere in a hurry. She said her thanks to the man and mounted quickly. Rou was not too far behind, jumping up a good bit and seating himself on the horse's rump.

"Which way is it?" She asked, pulling at the reins.

"Doth yonder, m'Lady." The Shinma pointed her in the direction. "Into the northern forest."

"Thank you." Miyu's words were lost as she spurred into the horse into a gallop, racing towards the thick mass of trees, nearly unseating Rou.

"Miyu! Calm down!" Rou called as they raced forward, trying to regain his balance. "Is it so important?"

"Yes, it is!" She snapped back, Rou shut his mouth with a click. It was the end of the discussion, no questions asked. Miyu leaned forward onto the neck of her horse, the beast breathing hard. Even if it was not Larva, she had to move fast. A Western Shinma loose in the Japanese Shinma Realm could not be anything good. True, he probably would not be able to cause a whole lot of trouble by himself; it was what the other Shinma in the world that she was worried about.

They entered the forest at break-neck speed, the trees blurring and rushing past in blinding rush, seeming to jump out of their way at the horse thundered its way through the silent forest. She reached out with her mind, searched for the alien power. For a long time, there was nothing. Had the hunters merely been imagining what they felt? Then…

With a hard jerk she pulled on the reins hard, making her horse come to a complete stop and nearly throwing Rou off again. "By the Gods, woman, I wish you would warn me before…"

"Shh…" Miyu shushed him as she slid down from the horses saddle as it snorted and puffed from the run. Rou stopped speaking immediately; he felt it too. Miyu could not see it, but it was there; it was standing out as clearly as if it had been standing in the middle of a vast, flattened field. It was definitely a different presence from that of a Japanese Shinma, but Miyu also had the odd feeling that she had encountered this particular Shinma before. It certainly was not Larva, but there were very few other Western Shinma that she had ever had to face.

__

Could it be…? No, of course not. That's impossible. He's dead…isn't he? Tightening the grip on her bow with one hand, she reached up slowly and drew and arrow, drawing it from her quiver and knocking it to her bow. It was behind her, so she faced the other way. She had learned this trick with the first Shinma she ever had to fight at the Gate; if she kept her back away to it, pretending like she felt it was in the wrong direction, it would not move. For several moments, she did not move. Rou was crouched on the ground, unmoving. Even the horse was remaining still. 

As quick and fluid as lightning, Miyu spun around, drew the arrow to her ear and fired into the trees. Not quick enough, it seemed, because her target moved, but it too did not possess the speed that it needed. The arrow missed hitting it in the center that would have killed it, but it did hit something, confirmed when Miyu heard the solid _thunk_ as the medal arrowhead penetrated flesh.

There was a howl of pain, and something dropped from the trees.

For a moment, it looked like a very odd black bird, but it did not stay like that for long. 

It changed…into a man.

Miyu gasped.

"Lemures…"

"Gods, woman, is this how you treat all your guests?" Lemures cursed as he rose to a sitting position on the ground. The arrow had nicked his arm; the robes were torn and stained with blood. Miyu did not know what to say, what to do.

"Wh…what are you doing here? You're dead!"

"Damn straight I was, but the guardians of the gates of the next world aren't very bright…I was able to escape them long ago and return back to the world of the living. Unfinished business." Miyu blinked, watching blankly as he rotated his arm. Indeed, it was the same man whom she had killed with her own flames so many years ago, complete with curly golden locks and stunning green eyes. But he was speaking as if he did not know who she was. "How do you know about me, anyway?"

"I…uhh…" She paused, thinking of something a little wiser to say so she did not look like some slack-jawed fool. "Unfinished business? What would that be, Western Shinma?"

"Oh, just come back to clear up some loose ends with a certain vampire girl who has stolen something very important away from me." Miyu frowned. Nothing's changed, at least.

Rou, on the other hand, did not seem to understand the situation. "Fool! How do you know of the Lady?"

"Rou, quiet." Miyu commended. Rou did not say anything else, but did stand before her, his staff held defensively before her.

"I think the question is, how do you know her, plushy-toy?" Rou bristled. "That little welp was the one who did this to me. She deserves to pay in blood."

"Well then," Miyu said, crossing her arms before her. "Shall we settle this now or wait until later?"

Grunting, Lemures pulled himself to his feet, brushing off his robes. "I do not know what you speak of woman, but…" Then he looked at her, for the first time that he fell from the tree. For a moment, it looked as if he did not recognize her – that came as no shock – until his eyes locked with hers. "M…Miyu?"

"Hello, Lemures. Long time, no see."

Lemures still continued to stare for several moments longer, then once again straightened. "Well. Hello again, Miyu. You've certainly changed. And…" Miyu felt herself flush as his eyes traveled along her body. "Filled out nicely, as well."

Rou was on top of him in a heartbeat, soundly striking him across the skull with his staff. "How dare you speak to the Lady like that, pig!" The _kitsune_ snapped, teeth bared.

"Down Rou, it's all right." Rou returned to Miyu's side, panting hard, staff positioned to strike again.

Lemures rubbed his skull where Rou had hit him, then sneered. "A new servant, Miyu? What's become of Larva? Has he finally come to his senses and returned home? Pity he did not kill you in the process."

Anger burned across Miyu's face, but she held her own. "He left long ago, Lemures, when the last of the Shinma have been sealed. He did so to release me of my seal, and I let him go so he could be released of his."

Lemures snorted. "A shame. But are you sure that was the reason, my dear Miyu? He may have been waiting for that day. Have you ever thought of that? To leave with an excuse to be free from your control so he could return home without your pitiful face hanging over his head. I'm sure he's forgotten all…"

He had pushed too far.

In the next moment, Lemures had gone from standing in the small clearing that he had landed in to pressed up against the bark of a tree several meters back, Miyu's hand at his throat and face inches from him. Her golden eyes bore into his as her nails dug into the skin of his neck. It had happened in the space of an eye blink, and in this space he was completely at Miyu's mercy. He could not breath, she had blocked his windpipe with her surprisingly firm grip, and her eyes held such cold anger that it frightened him more than the fact that he was being suffocated.

"You speak lies, Western Shinma." Her voice was soft, a wind rustling through the branches of the trees on a moonlit night, but it shook him to the core. "Larva left because he was forced to by the damned Osa. He promised me, Lemures, that he would return, and I know he will. You, however…he doesn't know that you live. So what harm will it be if I kill you again? I did it once, so don't you think that I damn won't do it again." With every sharply punctuated word her grip tightened more until he was left gasping for air, his lips turning blue. Not even Rou moved as her held continued for several moments, as if time had been frozen in that moment…

Miyu released her grip, leaving Lemures to tumble to the ground like a rag doll, gasping, choking and coughing, sucking in lungfull after lungfull of air. She stood over him for a moment, then walked away from his pathetic form, back over to the horse. Rou was stunned, speechless. He had heard about the lethal speed of a vampire, but had never seen it.

"Rou. Come. We are leaving."

Rou turned to see Miyu in the saddle of her horse, turned and ready to head back to the village. Rou nodded, but looked back at Lemures one last time. "You poor bastard." Then he returned to Miyu, jumping onto the horse so he was seated behind her saddle, wooden staff gripped tightly across his lap.

Miyu kicked her horse into a steady walk, but made a small detour as she steered it over to Lemures. "Are you coming or not?"

Suppressing a cough, he looked up at her, his green eyes wild. "What?"

"I asked if you are coming. I can't leave you out here, can I? You wouldn't last a day so close to the village. You can follow, if you so desire." Without waiting for an answer, she moved the horse back into the forest, towards the village. Lemures stared after her for a short time, but still picked himself up and followed.

"Why are you letting me come back?"

Silence.

"I don't know."

"Don't you think that the Shinma of the village would kill me too?"

"I won't let them hurt you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not like you."

There was silence again as they continued to walk. "How did this happen?"

"What?" Miyu never took her eyes off from the trail before them. Rou's eyes never left Lemures, his staff poised.

"You, becoming older. I thought you were forever trapped in the body of a child."

"I was."

Another moment of silence. "And?"

"It's a long story. You set me in a foul mood, Lemures. I'll tell you when my temper is even again."

The rest of the trip out of the forest was completed with no more spoken words. When they finally emerged, Miyu saw that something was not right. Sighing to herself, she slid down from her horse, Rou a hair's breath behind. "Take care of him." She told Lemures, thrusting the reins into his hand and ran off before the Western Shinma could respond. He only grimaced when the horse turned its demonic face to him, inspecting the new person holding his reins.

There was a large group of Shinma gathered at the end of the village, near the cliffs that overlooked the ocean. What they were looking at, Miyu could not see what it was, but they were all looking down over the cliff? Her insides turned to ice. Had someone fallen off the cliff?

As she neared, she was greeted by some of the young men of the village, looking no older than she was. "My Lady, we are in a fuss. There has been a shipwreck down on the shores." One of them said.

"A ship wreck?" She repeated. "Well, why is no one down there helping?"

"We were uncertain, Guardian." Another one said. "It is not one of ours."

Miyu blinked. "What?"

"It is a Western ship, my Lady."

------

To be continued…

-----


	7. Shipwreck

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Shipwreck

Not caring if her robes became torn, Miyu made her way easily down one of the less steep sides of the cliffs, making her way to the rocky beach.

The damage was enormous; she already knew that they would never get a hole like that repaired. The Western ship by far dwarfed anything that their small fishing village had, so it was not surprising that they did crash. Everyone knew of the shallow waters near the cliffs; it was dangerous enough that even their small fishing boats had a hard time making their way threw safely. They must have run too close to the shore in the think fog and crashed into one to the rocks that rose sharply from the sea; that certainly was what it looked like. The hole was nearly as large as the hull itself, huge and gaping and ragged. It looked like some poor animal that had been torn apart by very sharp teeth and claws. Masts were snapped in half, the sails badly tattered. The entire vessel itself was almost rolling over on its side, creating in the waves. Broken pieces of wood littered the water, washing up onto the beach. 

Then there were the Western Shinma. Like the wood, there was many still in the water, but it looked as if a good deal of them had made it safely to the shores. They looked shaken, cold, lost and afraid. Many of them were hugging themselves, shaking visibly. They probably know where it was they had crashed, and we easy pray for anything dangerous that came this way. At a quick count, Miyu estimated that there was perhaps sixty or seventy men, perhaps more. Who knew how many were still on the ship, or even worse, trapped in it. A wave of confusion and fear washed over Miyu, and she immediately felt sorry for them.

Something had to be done. She could not let them sit there and freeze to death, and night was approaching swiftly. 

She looked back up at the cliffs. The entirety of the village was still standing still, watching her and their foreign visitors. Not even Rou was moving. "Are you coming or not?" Miyu called to them. "They need our help!" It seemed that was all the persistence that they needed. One by one, the Japanese Shinma made their way shakily down the side of the cliffs.

Several of the Western Shinma jumped at the sight of her, looking startled. She almost forgot that most Western Shinma considered this enemy ground. Miyu slowed down and stopped, raising her hands before her in a motion of peace. "Please, do not be alarmed." She said slowly in plain English, slightly accented by her native tongue. "We are here to help you, not harm you. There is a village up on those cliffs. We can treat your injured there."

"You…speak English?" This seemed to be as abnormal as flying cows to these people.

"Yes, but it is not important." Miyu said. "Are there any injured people? Do not be afraid, we will help you."

One of the men blinked at her, then said, "Yes, there are injured. A lot of them."

"Can you bring them up the cliff?"

The men scanned the cliff. "I think so. The climb does not seem that difficult."

"Good." Miyu nodded. She turned and headed back to the crowd of Japanese Shinma that had gathered. "I need all able-bodied personal here to held tend to wounds and help these people up the cliffs. The rest of you, return to your homes and prepare sickbeds. We want to make them feel welcome."

"Miyu…" Kanyo spoke carefully. "Are you sure this is wise? Most other times our Clans ignore each other, and it is a clash when we meet…"

"Kanyo." Miyu's tone was hard, unyielding. "We can't leave them alone. I doubt they'll do us any harm."

Silence held for a few tense moments. Finally, the elder sighed. "Very well. You heard the Guardian!" She called back to the others. "I want the men to stay here! All women, return to your homes and prepare the sickbeds!"

No one complained or questioned. Instead they all took off immediately to their appointed duties. 

They inspected each Western Shinma closely, checking for mostly internal injuries once all the external ones have been taken care of; broken bones or pain where there was no wound. For the better part, all looked to be not too badly injured; only some minor scratches and welts, a few broken ribs here and there, maybe a fractured leg. Most of them were just cold and scared. Once their injuries had been tended to, they were helped up the cliff and towards the Japanese village.

Miyu personally saw to each one of the injured men, mostly to calm their minds so the process would go quicker. Even though soothing of one's mind did not require too much energy, it was draining her fast, and dusk was falling. Soon, Rou was pacing around the sight where the injured were being tended to, lighting small trails of blue fox-fire along the rocks for light to see by.

"Miyu…" He observed as her caught her leaning against a rock, trying to catch her breath. "You are exhausted. Come, I will take you back up."

"But what about them?" She asked, looking out among the Western Shinma that still remained. Or tried to, anyway. He vision was blurring. 

"They will be fine." Rou reassured her. "I will stay here with them."

This seemed to satisfy Miyu, and she smiled. "All right. You stay here, I can make my way up just fine. Good night, Rou."

"Good night, m'Lady." Rou bade to her as she turned and headed back for the cliffs. Not more than a few moments after Miyu had disappeared into the darkness, he head a call behind him from one of the Japanese Shinma.

"Oi! _Kitsune!_ We need your help greatly here!"

Rou came to the call immediately to see several of the Japanese Shinma pulling someone from the waters. It was a young man, perhaps in his mid-twenties in human terms, looking in even worse condition than any other else that they had tended to. His light blue hair was matted down with water before his eyes, which were closed tightly. His breathing was shallow, but he was unconscious. "Who is this?" He asked to the men.

"Damn if you know." One of the Japanese men snorted. "We don't speak their bloody language. They keep speaking of '_capu-tin'_. He must be important, they all seem to be very worried."

The lay the man on the beach gently to not further his injuries. One of the Japanese Shinma bent over him, inspecting his wounds. The Westerners seemed to be in a rut, calling out to the man in words Rou could not understand. "Broken arm." The Japanese Shinma said finally. "He bears two cracked ribs, maybe one broken, and a nasty blow to his head. He was lucky to have survived."

Not wanted to move him, they waited patiently for a litter to become available so they could move him up the cliffs. The last hut available was Kanyo's hut, so it was a rather long walk from there. The man was in pain; he kept twisting and moaning when ever they hit a snag as they carried him to his sickbed.

__

More than in pain…Rou thought as he trotted along side the litter. _It looks as perhaps he's dreaming…_

As if on cue, the man opened his mouth and said, so softly that only Rou could hear, "Miyu…"

Rou stopped in his tracks, falling behind as they took the man away. He blinked in confusion, wondering if he had heard right. How could this Western Shinma possibly know Miyu? He must have heard it wrong.

But, still…his ears had yet to do that to him.

Shaking his head, he followed the litter to Kanyo's hut.

* * *

In the still of the night, Miyu awoke with a start, but from what? There was no Shinma near the hole, nothing to be worried about. Even with as tired as she was, she wanted to return to the shipwreck site and finish helping, but she was too tired to move. Besides, there were almost done anyway. There were very few people left on the beach.

Then, what woke her up?

If she did not know any better, she could have sworn that someone had called her name.

__

No, that's silly. Who would do that?

Miyu rolled over on her futon and fell back asleep.

-----

To be Continued…

------


	8. An Angel's Caress

Chapter Seven

An Angel's Caress

The next morning Miyu awoke to a very unpleasant sight; apparently she had forgotten that Lemures was outside tending to her horse the night before, because when she left her hut the next morning, he was right there looking as if he had seen hell.

"What's the big idea of leaving me in the middle of the horse like that all night?" He demanded as soon as she was beyond the threshold, his green eyes narrowed. "You said yourself that it wasn't safe to be alone in the forest at night."

"You weren't in the forest." Miyu retorted shortly. She was still tired, the energy that she had used last night while attending to the wounded and frightened sailors of that awful shipwreck just off of their shores. Rolling up the long sleeve of her robes, she dipped her hands into the cool watch of a bucket just outside her door and splashed it on her face to help her wake up. It did not help much. "You survived, didn't you? Stop complaining. Things got a little complicated last night."

"I wouldn't think I would have survived! That demonic beast of your kept looking at me as if it was going to devour me had I taken my eyes off of it. I was awake all bloody night. Do you know how bloody cold it got?"

"Will you stop saying that word?" Miyu's voice was muffled as she ducked back into her hut and retrieved her quiver and bow. "It's probably not the best thing to say around a vampire, anyway. Especially when they're tired and haven't fed in about a week to book." When she emerged again, she gave him such a look that he shuddered and turned away quickly.

Miyu was unsure of why he followed her while she made her way back to the village. Her hut was on the outskirts, on a rising hill that overlooked both the sea and the village below. Out of the way, as usual. It hardly meant anything to her, anymore. "What…disturbance?" Lemures finally asked, as if he had just remembered the statement.

"It was…odd." Miyu began slowly as they neared the bordering houses. "A shipwreck on our shores; one from your world. We are now harboring a good few dozen in our own homes."

"You know, if it wasn't for you, the other Japanese Shinma probably would have killed the lot of them." Lemures put in bitterly. "I guess that was one good thing about having Larva as your companion."

"You should feel lucky as well." Miyu said, looking over her shoulder. A faint ghost of a smile crossed her lips. "You can walk around freely without anyone asking what you're doing here, out of place." She turned back, and look satisfied. "Well, it's good to see they're not too frightened. It will ease the tensions." In the early hours of the morning, there was already a handful of Western Shinma wandering about the village, most looking confused and disoriented, but unharmed in any serious way. They stared wide-eyed at their surroundings, at the alien buildings and watching curiously from around corners as they observed the Japanese women and men going about their everyday lives, acting as if nothing unusual had happened.

"I have to see to the sick and wounded." Miyu told Lemures suddenly. "Do you think there will be anyone here that you know?"

"I wouldn't be surprised. Why?"

"Because you can talk to them, maybe give them some insight to our world, make them feel less afraid." Her eyes changed in a quick flash, hard and warning. "Can I trust you with that and trust you not to start some sort of riot against my people?"

Lemures held up his hands as if to ward her off. "Now why would I do something as stupid as that? You outnumber us a hundred to one. Come on, Miyu, you have to give me more credit than that!"

"We'll see, Lemures." Her tone was no warmed than it had been before. "It will take a long time before I can take your words to heart." With that, she swept into the nearest house to see to the wounded man that the family was caring for.

Luckily, a good many of them were less hurt than she had thought they were. Apparently, it was mostly the cold of the water and night air, and once they were warmed and had something hot in their bellies they seemed as right as rain. Miyu conversed with each one briefly, speaking in calm, clear English with her arrows and quivers outside the door to let them know that she meant no harm. Sometimes it did little good, and they were still shocked to stunned silence when they looked into her eyes and found out just who she was. One man even jumped up from the futon he had been sleeping on and hit his head on the low rafters so hard that he knocked himself unconscious. 

"Methinks they know of the legend of the vampire, lady." The husband said as his wife and daughter desperately tried to revive the man. "Let's just hope not all of them react like this, or there will be none to send home!"

Miyu nodded slowly, her eyes distant and sad. They did know the legend of the vampire, and it scared them. It always scared them. She did not get very much information out of them that day.

It was close to dusk when they encountered their first big disturbance.

Lemures was able to track her down as she emerged from one of the last houses of the town, just before Kanyo's home. Miyu groaned and rubbed her temples when she heard the shouts. "What is it now?"

"One of the Western Shinma is…over reacting." Lemures said. "He just woke up, and immediately started yelling something about devils, demons, that he was in hell… I think he was talking about your people."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

"No, not really. I think if he had a sword, he would have killed the family."

"You know for sure?"

Lemures nodded, looking pale. "He was a friend of my father…well, hardly a friend, anyway. His name's Sandigo. You heard stories and tales of the ruthless pirates that either take or destroy everything and anything in their path without mercy, right?" Miyu nodded. "Well, he's about as clique as they come. The other men can't calm him down. So we were thinking that…"

"The fear induced by the vampire can?" Reluctantly, Lemures nodded. Miyu sighed. Or course. "Very well then."

It was an ugly scene. The man was huge, as broad across the shoulders as he was tall, scarred with close-cut dark hair. He was yelling profanities in English and had somehow gotten a hold of a _katana_ and was swinging at any Japanese Shinma who came close. Over the shouts of the other Western Shinma trying to get him to calm down, Miyu heard his shouts: "Demons! We are in a land of demons! They have brought us here to devour our flesh and steal our souls! Demons! Devils! _Japanese Shinma!"_

There was a sudden crack and the ringing song of medal striking medal. The sword in Sandigo's hand flew from his grasp, over his head and landing erect from the dirt ten feet behind him. The blade was nicked where Miyu's arrow had struck it. 

"That's enough!"

Her voice rose prominent and strong over all other commotion, like the voice of a deity, and all other chaos stopped. Sandigo was staring at her, his blue eyes wild, as if she was a demon among the demons. "A fine way to repay us. We bring you in from the cold and into our homes, feed you and keep you warm and this…" She turned those golden eyes on the rampaging Western Shinma, who nearly flinched under them. "_This_…is how you repay us. Yes, we could have killed you, but if we wanted to, do you think we would have while you were in your weakened state? However…" Her voice held such an edge that it seemed to cut the air like a razor. "If there is an incident like this again, from anyone, we will not tolerate it. As soon as you are all healthy again, you are going back to your land. This is your only warning." The last few words were punctuated directly at Sandigo, who growled at her and stalked into the forest.

"Do not follow him." Miyu warned. "He is a fool if he will try anything else." 

The vampire sighed. Why all this, and why now? She was getting another headache. Luckily there was nothing by the hole today; if there was she thought that she was going to scream. She did however, jump when she heard a voice behind her. "Sandigo is a dangerous man, my Lady Vampire. You will not hear the last of him."

She turned around to find herself looking up at a young Western Shinma with ashen blonde hair. He shrunk under her gaze, and she softened. She really did not want any of these people to be afraid of her. "Yes? What were you saying?"

The man swallowed, but straightened, bowed to her, taking her hand. "My name is Renzii, my Lady, first mate to the ship. Please forgive Sandigo, he just loathes your people…" He swallowed suddenly and stammered, as if he had said the wrong thing. "I mean, his father was…was killed by a Japanese Shinma on a voyage here and…so, well…"

"Yes, I can see why." Her voice was soft, reassuring, and hardly offending. It seemed to sooth Renzii, and he once again stood tall.

"Yes…anyway…he is the only one who feels that way. The rest of us are very grateful for what you have done for us. We will leave as soon as we are all hale and healthy again."

"Tell you men that they are welcome. You are free to wander the village, but stay within its borders. We will shelter you and feed you until we can find some way to get you home." Renzii smiled, more comfortable now, his eyes warm. He kissed her hand lightly and left her as she continued to Kanyo's hut.

Rou was sitting outside the door, head bowed to his chest as he slept. It was then that she noticed that she had not seen him all day. Smiling, Miyu hit him lightly on the top of his head with her bow. He snorted and took a swipe at the bow, opening his yellow eyes groggily. "Wha…oh, my Lady…I was just?"

"Doing what, exactly?" Miyu inquired and she knelt down so she was eye-to-eye with the fox.

"Several of the Western Shinma wanted to see the man inside. I think he is their captain, and they all seem very worried. Kanyo posted me here so I could keep them out."

"How is the man?" Miyu asked.

"Injured more than the others. He woke briefly, but said the light hurt his eyes, so Kanyo had to bandage them. He'll live, but if they're all leaving at the same time, he might make their stay longer than we hope."

Miyu nodded, standing up and putting a hand to the bamboo mat that covered the door. "Get some rest, Rou. No one will bother him tonight." The Kitsune made an affirmative noise in his throat as Miyu disappeared into the hut. 

Something was still gnawing at the back of his mind. Should he tell Miyu that the man had said her name? How would she take it? He shook his head and stood, supporting himself on his staff. No, he wouldn't tell. The girl already had too much on her mind for any others to trouble her.

* * *

The man was in better shape than she thought; his arm was in a cast and his chest had been bandaged. There was more gauze wrapped around his eyes, his forehead, but there were no serious cuts or lacerations that he could have had. Kanyo was kneeling at the other side of the hut with Hirutashi at close hand, mixing something in a pottery bowl. Miyu knelt silently by the man as he slept. She took note of his hair as well; it was light blue and soft, feathery hair…It was like Larva's hair, or what Miyu could remember of it. It was so difficult to remember him as he looked without his mask…

He suddenly groaned, turning his head slightly.

"His pain's returning to him…at least the part that did go away." Kanyo said, not even looking up since Miyu arrived. "We try to give him potions that take away the pain, but he is stubborn. He won't drink a thing. Maybe you can aid us, Miyu."

"How long until he is well?" Miyu's eyes didn't leave him as Kanyo rose, a swallow bowl in hand, which she handed to Miyu.

"I give him a week, if he lives."

"He'll live." Miyu said, setting down the bowl next to her. Gently she put her hands under his neck and lifted his head slowly, cradling him in her slender arms, his head against her shoulder. The movement had been so slow, so delicate that he hardly winced. She picked up the bowl and held it to his lips, making sure that he drank all the contents.

"One thing I'll never understand about the vampires." Hirutashi said, shaking his head. "You are feared when people look at you, in your eyes. They shun you, even curse you. But when they can't see you, don't know your name, you're more welcoming to them than their own mothers."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Miyu said as she handed the bowl back to Kanyo. Before she could lay the injured Western Shinma back down, he made a soft sound and turned his face against her, curling against her breast. Both of the elder Japanese Shinma smiled when Miyu blushed five different shades of red.

"That is exactly what I'm talking about."

Miyu hardly heard him. There was something about this man, something that she couldn't quite put her finger on…but she felt comforted by him, by his nearness. It almost felt as if he was holding her, and not the other way around. "I…I…" Miyu shook herself and reluctantly lay his back down on the futon. "I…have others to tend to." Before the others could say anything, she collected her bow and arrows and left.

As soon as she was gone, the man moaned softly again. "Miyu…"

The elders exchanged questioning looks. He was calling her name again.

Hirutashi asked, "Do you think that he's really…"

Kanyo shook her head. "I don't know. Only Miyu can determine that for sure."

------

To be Continued…

-----

AN: I meant to for this chapter to be longer, but I have to get to bed. Damn this late-night inspiration. Not to mention torturing you guys is fun ) Oh, and sorry if this story seems predictable. I'm trying to get through this and make it original at the same time. If anyone else feels the same way, let me know so I can….I don't know.


	9. Against the Sunset

****

Chapter Eight

Against the Sunset

The next time Larva awoke, the pain in his joints and muscles had been reduced to a dull ache, and the headache that was splitting his skull was nearly gone. When he at last was able to open his eyes and saw nothing but darkness, he also panicked, thinking that he had gone blind, but then he remembered that someone had put a bandage around them to keep out the light, before he fell asleep again. How long had it been? Days? Weeks? What had happened before he woke up?

The shipwreck. Their ship was nearing the Japanese coastline, he knew it, even through the dense fog. He could sense it, smell it, an old tie that still bound him to this foreign land more than most of the crew could understand. Most of them felt it was unnecessary to come here, to a land that saw them as enemies, but Larva had his reasons. He had been away far too long, and Miyu needed him. _He_ needed _her._ It was finally time for their reunion.

The fog had been so thick, so heavy, that no one saw the rocks jutting up from the shore, which was dangerously close. With a deafening and ear-splitting crack, the hull of the great Western ship struck the rocks without mercy, cutting it in half and rolling the large boat violently onto its side. The air was consumed with the sounds of breaking wood and the screams of men as they were flung off of the railing of the ship and down the massing gap that slit along the deck. Larva had been frozen in horror, unsure of what to do – should he stay on the ship or jump into the water, like so many others were doing? – until a pole from the towering masts fell from above, catching him painfully in the chest. There was a searing pain in his arm as it the bones were snapped soundly and the world went black when he hit the icy black waters below.

Now his arm was immobile, bound in a thin cast made of some sort of plant-like material. He flexed his fingers, the first motion of movement that he attempted since he returned to the world of the wakeful. They all moved freely and without any pain. At least he had survived, and without any real serious casualties. Gritting his teeth against any pain that might have been there, he used his good arm to push himself up to his elbow, and finally to a sitting position. There was very little pain, thankfully; he was just sore and probably badly bruised. And his eyes? Maybe something had happened to them after he lost consciousness. Almost dreading what the results the would be, he reached up and tugged the bandages off of his eyes.

The light was harsh, but his eyes adjusted quickly as he looked around. He was in a place that he did not recognize, but knew it immediately to be the home of a Japanese Shinma…a very old-fashioned home, perhaps going back a few hundred years before Miyu's time. Miyu…that means that they had made it. He was back in the Japanese Realm.

"Ahh…it is good to see you awake. The others will be enthralled." He was slightly startled by the voice that came from behind. He twisted around, wincing slightly at the pain, to see an old, strong woman of about sixty preparing something in a wide, shallow bowl. "We were almost fearing that you wouldn't wake."

"I…who…" Even after all this time, his own voice still sounded strange to him.

"I am Kanyo, one of the Elders of this village. We brought you and your men here after your ship ran our shores. That was almost four days ago; and you've been asleep over the entire time. It's good to see you've survived." She scooped some of the contents into a smaller bowl and walked over to him, handing it to him. "Drink. It will take away the last of your pains. And you can remove that cast; your arm's probably healed by now."

Larva did drink the strange liquid in it, wincing at its bitter taste. But the taste was familiar, making him pause. "What's wrong?" Kanyo asked as she took the shallow dish away.

"Just…thinking. I had the strangest dream. Someone was holding me, nursing me…" Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kanyo raise an eyebrow questioningly. He tried to ignore it as he used his sharp nails to cut the cast away from his other arm. He flexed his fingers again and rotated his shoulder a few times; it hardly hurt and seemed to be in good working order. "Someone that I knew from a long time ago…" He shook his head. "It sounds crazy…"

"Not…entirely." Kanyo said. "You kept saying a name in your slumber. How do you know Miyu?"

Larva's head snapped up, his temples throbbing, but he didn't care. "Miyu? You know her?" He did not recognize the Shinma woman, she certainly wasn't anyone they had ever thought.

"There isn't a Shinma in this world who doesn't. A Shinma from the West who knows of the Vampire Kanshisha, and you speaks of her without a trace of fear in your eyes…" She was suddenly right in front of him, staring into his eyes, his chin grasped surprisingly tight in her thin fingers, preventing him from moving. "No, hardly fear at all…in fact, boy…I sense something else, something deeper…" Then she smiled, pulling away, leaving Larva wondering what that was about. "So you are him. Miyu's guardian who was forced to leave when the last of the Shinma were sealed. Larva, if I remember correctly?"

"Y…yes, I am…" There was no point in asking how she knew. If they all knew about Miyu, then they probably know about him as well. "Is…Miyu well? Is she close?"

"You should consider yourself lucky, Larva." Kanyo said, moving silently to the door of her hut. It surprised him that she addressed him by name. Most Japanese Shinma would rather choke on their own tongues than address a Western Shinma on friendly terms. "She is the guardian of this very village, almost a priestess, in some of your eyes, guarding the hole to the rebels had torn a while back. She will be pleased to learn that is you, her lost guardian…I wonder why she didn't recognize sooner."

"It was because of my seal, that damn thing that kept us separated…" By now Larva was trying to stand, making sure that his legs wouldn't give under him as he tried to get over to the door that the Elder Shinma stood at. He supported himself against the wall, peering against the setting sun, hoping to catch a glance at his Vampire Princess. There were few people moving along the broad dirt street of the quaint Japanese town, and beyond, on the rising hill shadowed against the dusk, he could barely see a woman standing there, looking out into the sea. She looked to be in her early twenties in human age, her long hair blown out behind her on the wind that came off the ocean. Larva suddenly felt drawn to her; he wanted to leave the hut right then and there and go to her, to see who she was, to look at her face.

"It is she." Kanyo said, taking note of his staring. Larva looked down at her, the spell broken. "Your vampire. She had grown, you know, a good number of years. She is no longer the child you once knew."

"I…I know…it's…" He scrambled to think of something to say, but all words were lost. He only wanted to go to her, to finally hold Miyu once again after so many years of empty agony.

"Go to her. You've both been waiting too long. That's what you came here for, isn't it?" Before Larva could say anything else, Kanyo pointed behind her. "You shirt and jacket are on the table. You don't deserve to be away any longer. I will leave you to change." Just before she left the hut, she said in a kind, grandmotherly voice, "Thank you for taking care of her the way you did. Will you do the same now, after so many year?"

"Forever." Larva replied with a smile. "There is nothing I would rather do with my life."

He dressed quickly, putting on his white dress shirt, which was still a bit stiff from the salt, over the bandages wrapped around his torso, and then his long black coat on last. He was grateful for the medicine Kanyo had given to him; the pain was almost non-existent.

Taking a few deep breaths to calm his heart, which was throbbing painfully behind his ribs, he stepped carefully outside of Kanyo's hut, making sure that no one saw him. He only wanted to get to Miyu.

She was still standing on the hill, still standing as motionless. Even from this distance, there was a different air about her, one that was more powerful and confident and cautious than she had once been; it was also more tearful than it had once been, more sorrowful. But not for too much longer; he would embrace her tightly and bury his face within her hair, speaking to her for the first time since they had met so long ago, telling her she no longer had to be afraid because he would never leave her again. And for the first time ever he could kiss those soft lips and tell her that he loved her, that he had always loved her, and will continue to love her until the end of the world.

But his heart sank suddenly. Miyu turned, looking the opposite direction. Even with the dark shadows the golden glow of the sun cast against her face, she looked as if she was listening for something, like a cat on edge. Then she took off running, down the hill in the opposite direction of the village. She was up another slope of a hill, then vanished from view.

"There is an intruder near the gate!" He heard Kanyo's voice from behind. "She had sworn to protect it from all Shinma who try to get through."

"Where is it?"

"To the north!" Kanyo said, pointing a bony finger. "Go to her, Larva! She'll need you!" Larva nodded hastily and took off running, making his way past the Japanese Shinma citizens and in between their small houses to the direction Kanyo pointed to him.

Because of his injuries his was winded quickly, his lungs burning for air, but he kept pushing himself faster, harder, until from in the horizon he saw the looming Torii Gate that served as a crossroads between this world and the human world. Standing before the gate was Miyu. And standing before her was a Shinma.

It was huge and resembled some giant insect, a centipede or some sort, but with more monstrous features, such as a poison-tipped tail with a stinger looking much like a scorpion's and mandibles so huge they could slice a boulder in half. Miyu was on guard, her bow knocked and the arrow drawn to her ear – since when did she know archery? – and fired. The arrow struck true, sinking through the bottom of the beast's head and emerging through the other side, but it only slowed it down…and made it angrier. Miyu was just able yo hit the ground and roll out of the way as it attacked, diving head first into the ground and cracking the earth where it struck, kicking up a mass of dust and boulders in its wake. It had also snapped Miyu's bow in half in the process. There was a violent blaze of light as fire was called forth. It engulfed the monster's head, but effected it less then the arrow. Miyu was now completely on the offense, and apparently out of tricks.

Something stirred inside Larva, something that he hadn't felt in years; the sudden compulsion to protect Miyu from any and all harm that might befall on her. Without thinking twice, he took off running down the hill.

The giant centipede-Shinma reared high and bellowed, obviously ready to finish the vampire off. Miyu was back on her feet, he teeth bared, his fangs exposed, but was obviously out of ideas, and things were not looking any better.

Something cut across the air, sharp and quick, a thin line of light as sharp as a razor. It struck the Shinma on the side of the head, neatly cutting the head in half at a defined angle. The thing writhed, thrashed, but was also falling, dying. Miyu turned her head to look to see who her savior was when something hit her, sending them both to the ground and rolling out of the way as the Shinma crashed to the ground, dead.

They landed at the bottom of a hill just outside the forest, Larva shielding Miyu with his body until the monster stopped twitching and was dead for good. He lifted his head and looked behind him to see the body already turning to mist and being taken away on the wind. He sighed in relief. That had almost been too close. Then he looked back down at Miyu.

The fall had knocked her unconscious, but his heart jumped into his throat and his breath stopped at the same time. She was more beautiful than he remembered, and now she possessed the radiant grace of an adult woman. Her cheekbones were higher and more defined, her face narrower. Her hair was longer now and could shame the softness of silk as several strands fell across her closed eyes, her perfect nose and full lips. Her face wasn't the only part of her that was a woman now, and he noted that with a blush, moving so he wasn't quite laying on top of her. He looked back at her face, and his heart softened, as well as was clenched in mild agony. Even though she was older now, a woman as she had wanted to be, she was still his Miyu. Her skin was still soft and pale and flawless, her scent was the same, the feel of her body next to his…

The train of though was severed when Miyu made a small sound in her throat, a groan, frowning in her state of unconsciousness as she became wakeful. Larva swallowed, not knowing what to do. Should he move? The position they were in probably wasn't the best in the world, but he wanted her to see him. A new thought came to mind. Would she even _recognize_ him? Oh, bloody hell…

Before he could think of anything, her eyes snapped open, golden and radiant, just as he remembered.

And their eyes locked.

-----

To be continued…

-----

:ducks all thrown objects:: And guess what guys? The next chapter won't be out for a while, because I have no idea what I'm going to write next! AHAHA! Wait, that's not funny, is it? Well, I'll try…


	10. What Makes Fate Smile

****

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long. Again, the same excuse: finals and college and personal stuff. Put all together, you got one nasty combination. Anyway, the first little bit was written by Miyu, author of _Crimson_ as well as many short stories. Her part will be in _italics_, and my work starts shortly thereafter.

****

Chapter Nine

What Makes Fate Smile

__

It's impossible to describe what happened in those few seconds between them in words. 

Confusion. 

Recognition. 

Warmth. 

Love. 

Tears. 

Miyu couldn't bring herself to believe what she was seeing. Was this a dream? One of those beautiful dreams that are too good to be true, and then you wake up...and it's all disappeared like an exquisite sandcastle washed away in the midst of high tide? The Shinma must have knocked her unconscious. He couldn't really be here....could he? 

It had been so many years...so long since she had been forced to live without him; without his strong arms embracing her in their comforting and loving grasp, and encompassing her body and soul into him. When she needed him most he had always been there. Reality was never so kind...could reality be this forgiving as to truly bring her Larva back to her? Could it!? Her mind was disoriented...her thoughts hopelessly jumbled. Yet - there he was, staring down at her with those ruby orbs. And he looked so incredible...so indescribably gorgeous; radiant. Worn. 

"…Miyu?" 

It couldn't be…it couldn't possibly be!

Slowly Miyu reached up her hands, but only covered her own face as she moaned. Larva felt the pit of his stomach go cold, thinking that she really did not recognize him, but she nonetheless surprised when she pushed up suddenly on her elbows, knocking him off of her. "No…" She moaned, backing away across the grass until she had backed into a tree. "No…it can't be real…it's not real!"

Larva was nearly shocked. It sounded as if she had just woken up from a nightmare so bad that the images frightened her even though she was awake…Gods, what have they done to her all these years? "Miyu…" He reached forward, concerned.

"It's not real! You can't be here!" She cried, keeping one hand clasped firmly to one side of her face while she still tried to push herself back into the tree. "It's not fair…Why does fate keep torturing me so?"

So that was it. She thought it _was_ a dream, some cruel mockery that was causing her this pain… Determine to end the anguish, Larva slowly moved over to her. Miyu was now curled into a tight ball, her face buried in her arms and was shaking clearly from an emotional pain that only he could understand, and that only he could heal. Slowly, gently, he reached out a hand and touched the side of Miyu's face, his fingers trailing gently over hers.

"Miyu…" He whispered gently. It was so strange talking to her after all these years… "There's nothing to be afraid of."

Immediately the shivering stopped and Miyu slowly lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes were red with unshed tears. Her eyes came back into focus as she looked into his eyes, and she saw him for the first time all over again. It was the same look in their depths of when she would wake up from a nightmare when she was younger and he was the first thing she saw afterwards…all the pain, all the fear vanished. "Wha…what did you say?"

"There's nothing to be afraid of…" He repeated gently, moving his fingers so they caressed the side of her face. Then he smiled at her, a small, unsure smile. "You've grown, Miyu."

"Larva…" She moved her own hands to place on top of his, squeezing his fingers. Those were the first words he ever spoke to her…and, ironically, almost the last. But she remembered…to her surprise, she remembered the voice that she had once heard so long ago was exactly the same. And no one could have known those words… "It's…it's really you, isn't it? This isn't a dream, is it?"

"If it is, I never want to wake up." It was taking every ounce of self-control keeping him from putting his arms around her and pulling her close, to kiss her sweet lips. "I missed you so much, Miyu…"

Tears filled her golden eyes again and spilled down her cheeks, reflecting the light of the setting sun. "Larva…it…it really is you…I can't…I…" She didn't say anything more. With a small cry, she flung herself into his arms, nearly knocking him over backwards, burying her face against his shoulder as she wept. Gods, she hadn't cried like this since he left, but she didn't care, it felt so damn _good_…

Despite the pain in his ribs, Larva held Miyu to him with all the strength he possessed as if this were the last time he were to hold her and he wanted to embrace her for all it was worth. But this wasn't the last time, he thought with a soaring feeling in his heart. In fact, this was the first time, all over again…now and forever. Even with the different body she now possessed, it was undoubtedly his Miyu. Her embrace, her scent were still the same. Holding her again after so long was like a dream come true, and one that he never wanted to wake up from.

If there was a way to pull herself closer to Larva, Miyu would have wanted to find it. The last time she could remember holding him so tightly was before they were separated, but now this put that time to shame. The feel of his body, his warmth, his scent, all came back to her in a rush. When she thought back to this moment, she could not remember what it was that went through her head. The only thing that she could remember was how happy she was to have him back. The word "happy" did not seem to do the situation justice…it was beyond the highest levels of joy that she had ever felt before, more than any human had ever felt before.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, their embrace finally loosened and they pulled away from each other just slightly, just staring into each other's eyes, lost in thought and at a loss for words. Then, surprisingly, Miyu laughed, wiping the errand tears from her face. "You're late." She said.

Larva smiled, and did not bother to hold himself back as he pulled Miyu into another tight embrace. "I'm sorry." He said into her hair. "I wanted to come back sooner, but it was difficult. It proved to be hard to convince the elders to let me come back after…" He was cut off suddenly by cool fingertips placed over his lips. 

"Larva…" Miyu said, her golden eyes glowing. "I never thought I would say this, but stop talking. I just want to enjoy this and not have to worry about anything else." Her smile, her eyes, her over all person…if the most beautiful thing in all the worlds was placed next to her, it would have been shunned to non-existence. He had never known this sort of joy to exist in life. It felt as if it had reached his very core…oh hell, it had. He had never been so happy in all his life. Unable to stop himself, he leaned close to her and kissed her full on the lips.

It felt as if all the breath in Miyu's throat and lungs had frozen, her mind spinning. Larva was kissing her. It was her first kiss ever, and it was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. No words could describe her emotions, her feelings…in fact, rational thought did not come back to her until he finally pulled away, leaving her breathless. "I've been wanting to do that for years." Larva said, his voice soft and gentle. "I wanted to kiss you before I left, but figured that you might have wanted to experience your first kiss when you were awake. Besides, a kiss before saying good-bye is so final, and I knew that since I would see you again, it was worth the wait."

"Then I'm glad you waited." Miyu said, and kissed him again. She felt a little awkward and inexperienced, but Larva did not seem to care. The kiss was both soft and hard at the same time, wanting to push forward but at the same time, not wanting to rush it. Something stirred along Miyu's veins, a sort of fire than made her want more, but her mind and heard were so overcome with joy and happiness that she hardly took notice.

Suddenly Larva wrapped his arms around Miyu's waist and lifted her to her feet. She put her arms securly around his neck as they spun in dizzy circles, laughing and kissing each other the entire time. Miyu could never remember a time when she felt so happy, so carefree, like her very soul was made of light. They spun until they nearly collapsed from being spun silly, but they were still laughing, still kissing against the warm sunset. Finally, Larva set her down, but kept her face cupped firmly between his hands, gazing into her eyes. "I love you." He said. "I've loved you since the moment I saw you on the beach that night, the moment you took my blood, and I knew I would never love another as long as I lived. I would love you forever, a hundred times forever, Miyu. To the ends of the universe and back again."

"Oh, Larva!" Miyu cried, flinging her arms around him again. "If I had the chance to be anything – a queen, a goddess – I would reject it all for just one moment with you. I love you too, more than time can tell. Nothing will ever take you away from me, ever. I won't let them!"

"And nothing ever will." He said, pulling away slightly so he could kiss her again.

A warm wind rippled across the plain that they stood on, near the Gate to the Human World, making the grass shimmer like water, but the two lovers did not seem to notice. Even if the world were to end right then and there, perhaps they still would not have noticed. Nothing was going to separate them again.

Nothing.

****

AN (Again): The…end?

NOT!

I couldn't do that to you guys, but it's my first chapter end in a long time that's not a cliffhanger. Too many unanswered questions, too many surprises later on. It may, how ever, take longer for me to update after this. This fic is _incredibly_ hard for me to write, you guys have no idea. It's only the (good) comments and reviews I get that keep me going, so thank you all for that. And I'm sorry, but no thanks for the people who insist on critiquing me for this story, no matter how helpful they may think they are. Like I said, this is a very hard story for me to write, and although I'm not fishing for pity and I usually ignore the not so good reviews I get, but the nit-pick ones do make me mad. I'm sure those of you that have read _Crimson_ know of that insane review…please, if you review, don't act like the high-and-mighty God of the English Language. That makes a lot of authors mad. We write how we want to write. And also, if they're going to say "You got this wrong" or "She's OOC", then I would like to see _them_ do any better. Sorry if that was bitter, but this is a rant that's been on my chest for a while. Like I said, if people are going to be telling us that we're writing a fic wrong, then maybe they're suggesting you can do better. Pray tell and show us. Grr…sorry, I've been getting a few of those lately, and who ever that "Anonymous" was who left that review for _Crimson_ was a huge coward. If people are going to tear into us, then please leave a name, _at least_. The authors of FF.net enjoy what they do, and if people are going to be complete ass-holes about it, then they shouldn't be reviewing. If they don't like it, then don't fucking read it.

Language…

I apologize for that about. Just something I wanted to write on behalf of all the authors of FF.net that get flamed and don't deserve to. Feedback is good, but please learn when too much is too much. Thank you.


	11. Farewells

****

Author's Note: I hope you guys like this. I was up until the wee hours of the morning finishing this chapter. Enjoy!

Warning: Extreme warm and fuzzy feelings off the port bow!

****

Chapter Ten

Farewells

There were a lot of mixed feelings among the inhabitants of the village when Miyu and Larva returned. A large majority of the Western Shinma looked bewildered, thunderstruck and downright confused. The Japanese Shinma did not have quite as big a reaction; most of them knew about the vampire guardian who had a Western Shinma companion. The Elders, however, looked pleased. They had never seen Miyu look happier.

"Well, I can't say that I'm surprised to see you back here. As soon as she said the word 'promise', I knew that it was only a matter of time before you showed up again." Miyu and Larva turned to see Lemures standing behind them, arms crossed, looking angry but his eyes betrayed his true feelings. Did he look…pleased?

"Lemures…" Larva sounded shocked, and it took Miyu a moment to remember that the other Western Shinma had been dead until just a while ago. "How did you…"

"You know, death is a funny thing." Lemures said haughtily. "People make such a big deal of it, and yet I was able to walk right out and no one came after me. Then what do I see when I come back? The two of you, just the way I left you, despite the fact that you had been had apparently split up. Is there nothing in this world that can tear you apart?" The sarcasm in his voice was more than obvious.

Larva smiled, recognizing the tone of voice. It was one that he knew all too well from childhood. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" He asked, putting an arm around Miyu and drawing her closer. 

"I guess the only thing that can be done now is to make sure that you two take care of each other. Because if I hear anything about you two being split up again for any reason, I'm going to have to come back here and strangle the both of you."

Miyu wanted to laugh, but something another part of his words caught her attention instead. "'Come back?'" She repeated.

"Oh, yes." Lemures said, changing the subject. "Your elders somehow found a way to build a ship large enough to carry the men back to the Western Realm, but small enough to build quickly. I think that your people grow tired of our presence, and of Sandigo stalking around the forest in the manner that he does the past couple of days. The construction begins tomorrow, and it will take three days to build. Or so they say."

"I had a feeling that he would cause problems." Larva said with a small frown. "I wonder what went through he was thinking when he agreed to come; that we were going to the Japanese Shinma Realm but were not going to run into any Japanese Shinma?"

"He definitely wasn't too happy when he awoke after the wreck. If Miyu had not stopped them, he was angry enough to take out half of the village, but he's been pacing around the forests ever since he was…put in his place."

Larva nodded. "The sooner they leave, the better. Most of these men have families, and will want to get home to them. I take it you are leaving as well?"

"Larva my friend, I have been away from home much longer than any of them, and I long for it. But you won't be the only one staying. Renzii has become very infatuated with a young Japanese girl, and her parents take quite the shine to him. I don't think he'll be returning. Besides, it might be better for him. No real family to think of and his resources about dry…" Larva nodded in agreement. "What should I tell the others when we arrive back in Europe?"

"That there was a shipwreck on the shores of the Japanese Shinma Realm, and Renzii and I unfortunately died in the accident. However, the Japanese residents were kind enough to help us out. That ought to give them something to ponder over."

"I couldn't have put it better myself." Lemures said. "And I will speak personally at your wakes. But now, I think its better that I leave the two of you alone. I have a feeling that you have...um…a lot of catching up to do." He coughed at the last part, making Miyu blush to he ears. It was a good thing that the sun was nearly set, because neither of them saw it. Larva's arm tightened around her, and they turned and walked down the dirt road of the village.

"You don't live in the village?" Larva asked as passed the last few houses, back towards the dimensional hole.

Miyu shook her head. "No. I found a nice place by the ocean, away from human activity and anyone who sticks their nose where it doesn't belong. I wanted my privacy. Besides, living with the Shinma after so many years of being their enemy, it was…a little awkward, no matter how kind they were to me." There was silence for a few moments. Miyu wanted to say something more – she still could not believe that he was here, walking right next to her! – but it felt as if her heart was in her throat, keeping her from saying anything. It was Larva that spoke first.

"Was there…ever a time when you thought that I wasn't going to come back?"

His question touched Miyu; it sounded as if he had been afraid to ask it. She slipped her hand into his and leaned into him, savoring his warmth. "Never." She said back. "I knew that you would be back. And if you never showed, I would have known that it was not your fault. I probably would have come after you then." It took a lot of self control to not stop where he was and kiss her again; the desire to hold her and never let go almost overrode him, but he figured it could wait for a little bit longer.

They made their way back through the hole between worlds, through that one brief moment of cold that seemed to wash through them before they were on the other side of the portal, walking steadily towards Miyu's house. There was a strange tickling in the back of Miyu's throat that made her want to talk, to ask him something, but nothing came to mind. 

"Is that it?" Larva asked suddenly, startling her slightly. The world seemed to come back into focus as Miyu looked up and saw the house, standing solitary and all alone on the cliff overlooking the sea. Obviously, that was it, as there was not another house in sight. Miyu could tell that he was as nervous and unsure as she was. Heart pounding hard, she nodded and they continued on their way towards it.

By the time they reached the front porch, it was completely dark, the sky spangled with stars and streaked with a few wispy clouds drifting in from the north. By the small of the wind, another rainstorm was on its way. Miyu fumbled with the doorknob a bit before it finally opened, allowing them both inside. Before the door was even closed again, Miyu found herself in Larva's arms, his mouth covering hers in a passionate, heated kiss.

The fire from the kiss entered Miyu's body in a rush, and she turned and pressed her body to his, leaning even deeper into it. A small shiver ran down Miyu's spine as one of his fingers traced down it, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back, the other hand holding the back of her head; it was as if he was holding her in a way that if he let go, he was afraid she would run away. Miyu had no intentions of running away, and when she felt her mouth being opened against his, his tongue entering her mouth, a new feeling coursed along Miyu veins.

She found herself wanting to be closer to him than she ever had been before. She found herself _wanting_ him with a passion that made head spin crazily. These new feelings almost overwhelmed her when she felt a burning in her breasts…between her legs…

In the space of only a heartbeat, Larva's kisses changed, going from intense passion to slower, gentler, his fingers trailing away from her neck to caress her cheek in a whisper-like touch. And just as quickly, Miyu felt her blood cool, the fire in her body diminishing into a gentle warmth. She knew this feeling, this touch; when Larva had been forbidden to speak to her, touch had played a very vital role in her relationship. It was the touch that always made her relax when she was anxious, upset, or sad…

It was as if a voice was whispering in her head, she knew exactly what the caress of his fingers meant: _Not yet. Not until he was healed completely. Not until the Western Shinma were gone. Not until they could have each other fully with no worries of anything else in the world._

"There's no need to rush." Larva muttered gently against her lips. "We have the rest of eternity for it." Miyu was only able to make a small noise in the back of her throat as an answer. Along with the deletion of the fire, his touch had also taken away most of her energy. Or maybe it was just a collection of energy loss over the days…a lot had happened between when she ran into Lemures in the forest until now, and now it was just beginning to take its toll. Sleepiness washed over her in just a few seconds, and she found herself barely able to keep her eyes open.

Larva smiled down at his lover and gently led her over to the couch that was near the fireplace; he did not think that she was really willing to walk up a flight of stairs to sleep. He slowly let her sit on the cushions before turning to the empty fireplace. Miyu was unsure of what was happening; she was so tired suddenly, but when Larva returned to her, there was a fire burning in the once empty fireplace. The room was suddenly filled with the warm glow of the golden flames, and the heat seeped into her very bones, chasing out a cold that she did not know was there. And it was all the better when Larva sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close as they both lay down on the couch. The piece of furniture was wide enough for both of them to lay on it without worrying about falling off. Larva lay against the back, gently cradling Miyu in his arms, her head resting against his chest. Taking a quilt that was draped over the back of the sofa, he draped it over both Miyu and himself to keep out the cold that the fore did not.

"I don't…want to fall asleep." She said. Her voice was thick with sleep, and between his arms, the blanket and the warm glow of the fire, Miyu knew she was being pulled into sleep without much of a chance of escape. "I want to…stay awake…"

Larva ran a hand through her soft hair, kissing her forehead. "I'll be here when you wake up. I promise." A small smile crept across Miyu's face as sleep finally claimed her.

Larva, on the other hand, did not sleep. He stayed awake for the remainder of the night, solely watching Miyu as she slept.

The construction of the boat started the next day, and even with everyone helping, it still took three days to complete. Miyu felt as if she had more energy than she had in years, as if a part of her soul had come back to her since Larva came back. They rarely left each other's sides, not even in the occasional times when Miyu had to run to the Gate to fend off any Shinma wandering too close. It was rare now that it was a really strong one; it was only the small ones that really did not know any better. However, weak or not, with Larva fighting by her side again, it almost felt like the old days. It was a feeling that made Miyu feel as if she was shining with an unearthly light on the inside.

On the third day, the ship was ready to sail. Most of the Western Shinma were already on board, anxious to get home. The entire village had come out to see their departure, giving last-minute provisions that they might need for the way home. Most of the Western Shinma were constantly thanking the families that they had stayed with during the whole ordeal. It was actually a nice thing to see, Miyu thought as another Western Shinma thanked her for what she had done for them. They'll go home and tell their friends and families what had happened here, and they'll see that we're not the monsters that we've been in their stories.

"Are you anxious to get home, Lemures?" Larva asked his friend moments before the departure. The tide and winds were just right now for good sailing; if they waited any longer, the conditions would not return until tomorrow.

"Very much so. It will feel good to go home again. What about you? Any regrets for not returning?"

"Not a one." Larva replied, pulling Miyu closer to him.

Lemures almost laughed. "Well, I have to say that I'm almost glad to be leaving, especially with the two of you mooning over each other all the time. And remember what I said; you two had better stay together this time, or I'll come back and make you stay together." This time, all three of them shared a short laugh before saying their final farewells. With a last brotherly embrace to both of them (which caught Miyu by surprise, to say the least), he turned and walked up the gangplank to the small ship that would carry them home. Within moments the sails were opened, and billowed out when the winds filled them, immediately carrying the ship away from the shore. The Western Shinma were standing on the docks, waving to their foreign hosts, and the Japanese Shinma bowed as one as they were carried from sight.

Life could continue now as it always had.

Or, in the cases of Miyu and Larva, it was about to start anew.

No one bothered to stop to speak to either of them while they moved away from the village. Everyone seemed to know and respect that now was the time for each other, and they had both waited too long to wait any longer.

Almost before she knew it, Miyu and Larva were back in the home that they were now calling their own, wrapped in each other's embrace, which was so strong that not even a fool would think that they could be torn apart. The only time that Larva pulled away was to whisper to her, tenderly; "The bond of blood has weakened over the years. Will you renew it…my vampire? My love?"

Miyu only made a small affirmative noise in the back of her throat, leaning towards Larva's neck when the pale flesh was exposed, sinking her fangs into it and taking his blood as she did once long ago. Larva hissed a little through his teeth when she bit, half from the small amount of pain, but mostly due to the response of his body when she drank his blood; her body pressed to his in a way that he had never noticed before. He could feel every curve of her being, her soft breasts pressing against him, the sweet smell of his skin…He nearly whimpered and buried his face in the crook of her neck when he felt her blood enter his body again, and the bond that connected their minds, the souls, went from a feeble little thing to a bond stronger than iron…

They clung tighter to each other when they felt themselves enter each other's minds, sensing thoughts, reading feelings, now ever more clearly than ever. They were one again…now and forever.

Miyu's mouth left Larva's neck and returned to his lips; he could taste his own blood on her lips and on her tongue. Not only that, but he also noticed that his long coat had been removed, and half of the buttons of his shirt had been undone. Miyu's cool hands were tracing over his slender shoulders. Larva could feel the heat radiating from her body and smiled against her mouth; this was a side of Miyu he had never seen before, and it was one that he liked and wanted to meet for everything it was worth. 

The fire burning on the inside of Miyu's body felt like a spark to what she was feeling now. Their bond had been established anew, and without any sort of seal separating them, Miyu could clearly sense every thought, every emotion within her lover; no words could explain the feeling of his passion, love and sheer need of her. She knew in an instant that she needed his as well, and was hardly reluctant when she felt him loosening the robes that she wore, exposing her bare flesh to the cool air. Without breaking the kiss, Miyu groaned against Larva's mouth when she felt his hands gently graze her sensitive breasts before pressing his palms against them, savoring the feeling of their softness and the way they molded to his hands perfectly.

Wrapping his arms around her tightly, Larva gently lowered Miyu down to the covers, breaking the kiss over her mouth but only to move down to her neck. Miyu whimpered at the feeling of his breath against her skin, hot and passionate. He placed small butterfly kissed along her neck and down to her collarbones in an agonizing slow pace, making the desire she felt burning within intensify, especially when he moved his hands to push away the rest of her robes. The need only became greater when his lips and hands continued to move further down until his mouth covered an aroused nipple, and his hand slid gracefully down between her legs.

Miyu could not subdue the cry that escaped her throat. He sucked gently on her breast as his fingers danced in her most intimate area, caressing her womanhood and across her aroused jewel, making her moan in pleasure that she had never known before. There was a growing pressure between her legs, and just as she was ready to go over the edge, Larva stopped, removing his hand and his mouth and settling his body over hers. Miyu's face was flushed and her breathing shallow from her near release, and he waited until she was looking at him again before going any further.

Looking deeply into those wonderful golden eyes, he ran his fingers through the bangs that fell across her forehead. "I love you, Miyu. I'll love you until the end of time."

Tears brimmed in Miyu's eyes as she smiled back. "I love you too, Larva. I would have no one else in this world." Placing a hand gently on the back of his head, she pulled him forward so their lips met in a slow, teasing kiss that seemed to hold more feeling than any kisses before it. Larva shifted slightly on top of her to remove the last of his own garments, then settled back between her parted legs.

Miyu knew that the first penetration would hurt, and it did when Larva pushed himself into her for the first time, but the pain passed soon as they moved together in rhythmic motions, more lost in the touch and sensation of each other rather than in the physical contact. Not before long, Miyu arched her back and cried out Larva's name as she climaxed, waves of pure pleasure crashing into her, and Larva followed her only seconds afterwards.

For several moments, the only movement made was when Larva rolled onto his side, bringing Miyu with him to hold tightly against his chest. Other than that, they lay motionless for a long time, a tangle of limbs and soft, warm bedcovers, taking the time to catch their breaths and to savor the feeling of each other's presence while their senses were still heightened. It was Larva that spoke first, after what seemed like hours.

"I love you."

Miyu smiled gently, running her fingers through his silky hair. "I love you too." Larva reached up and caught her hand gently, looking it over, paying particular attention to her fourth finger.

"You know, we're going to have to do something about this."

Miyu looked at him, puzzled. "About what?"

"As far as I can tell, there's no ring on this finger." For another few seconds, he was silent, still looking at her slender hand. "But I think I can fix that." Despite her small whimper of protest, Larva sat up and grabbed hold of his coat that was laying on the end of the bed, looking through the pockets. The sheet that covered them had fallen to his hips, making Miyu blush but admire his lithe, well-built frame. Knowing that she had nothing to be ashamed of, she sat up as well, and was surprised that her nakedness in front of him did not make her feel ashamed of self-conscious. He seemed to find what he was looking for, and moved back towards her.

"I'm glad that this wasn't lost in the wreck." He said softly, showing her what it was he held.

It was a small, black velvet box, looking much like a jewelry box. Miyu's heart leapt into her throat when Larva opened it. Inside was a small gold ring with a single red stone sitting in the middle, as red as a drop of fresh blood. "Being with you already makes me feel like the luckiest man in the world." His voice was so hushed that Miyu almost had to strain to here it. "But I would feel so much more than that if you would be my wife." With that, he removed the ring from its box and slipped it onto the ring finger of Miyu's left hand.

For several moments, Miyu stared at the ring, unable to think of anything to say. Finally, deciding that there was nothing better to say, she only smiled and threw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and giggling against his throat. "Should I take this as a yes?"

"Yes!" Miyu said. "Yes a thousand times over!"

Never before had either one of them remembered ever being so happy, so content in the world. After years of suffering, of never-ending torment of fate and the worlds that they lived in, it was now behind them

Because now, nothing could tear them apart.

Because a promise was forever.

-----

To be Concluded…

----


	12. Epilogue

**Author's Note:**  I only have two words:  IT'S DONE!  I hope you guys enjoyed this.

Sequel…?

**Epilogue**

The light of the setting sun cast the world in a tranquil, warm glow, washing the sky over in hues of gold and red and orange, reflecting off the deep waters of the ocean just beyond the cliffs that bordered their world.  And silhouetted in the distance was the outlines of two figures standing alone in the open field; one a tall, slender young man, standing almost perfectly, and the other a much smaller boy, full of energy and running this way and that.  At one point he paused, looked back at the older man, then ran full force at him, latching onto his long legs and sending them both sprawling to the ground.

From where she stood on the porch, Miyu laughed softly to herself, greatly enjoying to adorable picture that her husband and son made in the distance.  It was hard to believe that at one time, years and years ago, she was fully convinced that she would never know this sort of happiness, that she would never be able to feel the complete sensation and wonderful experience of having a family of her own.  If it had not been for her current situation, she would have been out there with them, but the full extent of her actions would be limited, at least for the next couple of months.  Still, the sight of Larva and their son, Takashi, who was almost five years old now, playing together in such a manner always made her smile.

The red swell of the sun was dipping lower into the ocean, and the sky gradually lost its orange hues and proceeded in deepening to the darkness of night.  Stars were already beginning to spangle the sky, a full moon was rising in the east, and a chilly wind swept across the cliffs from the ocean.  Night always seemed to fall faster in the Shinma Realm than in the earth realm.  "Alright you two, time to come in." Miyu called out to the field, and she was answered by a small giggle.

"C'mon, Daddy, we have t' go! Or Mommy will be mad a' us!"  Even in the darkening landscape, Miyu could see Takashi jump to his feet, tugging on his father's hand until he was back on his feet.

"Well, we don't want your mom to be mad at us, now, do we?"  Larva asked, then lunged forward to pick up his son and put him over his shoulder, carrying him back to the house with the little boy squealing happily the whole way.  Once they were back at the porch, Larva handed Takashi over to his mother, the child wrapping his arms around her neck and kissing her cheek lovingly, and together the happy family returned indoors.

Once they were back inside, Takashi squirmed in Miyu's arms until she set him down, where he ran over to the large armchair near the fire and jumped up into it, giggling happily.  "Wow, I had no idea it was getting so late; Takashi, you need to get to bed soon.  Why don't you go upstairs and get dressed for bed?"

From where he sat on the chair, the little boy shook his head, his eye wide.  "'s dark upstaiws."  He said.  "'m scawed." His innocence made her smile; how could someone of pure Shinma blood be afraid of the dark?  Oh, well.  He was still a child after all.

"All right…I'll go with you."  She reached forward to take his hand, unaware that the other was on her lower back, but she was halted when Larva reached out to gently pull her back.  

"I can take him up."  He said softly, kissing her forehead.  "You sit down for a while."  Miyu smiled, kissed him softly, and watched as father and son disappeared into the darkness upstairs.  With a small sigh, she sat down on the couch, leaning her head against the back of the couch, one hand moving unconsciously to the curve of her stomach.  She was only five months along with their second child – a little girl, this time – but it seemed to have been much longer that that.

The familiar sound of creaking steps met her ears, and she was keenly aware of the movement behind her as Larva leaned over her from behind the couch, kissing her closed eyelids.  "That was fast."  She said, opening one golden eye to look up at him.

"As soon as we got up there, he wanted to get ready for bed by himself."  Larva said in an amused tone as he moved around to sit next to her.  "I think he's already assuming the role of the brave older brother.  He's really excited about it.  But what about you…are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She reassured him, leaning her head on his shoulder and feeling a strong arm wrap around her.  "I just forgot how tiring being pregnant is."

"But you're doing it so well.  And I'm sure that she agrees." Larva said with a smile, his hand joining Miyu's on the graceful swell of her belly, and slowly leaned in for a kiss had Takashi not decided to bounce between them at that instant, his brown hair messy from pulling his shirt over his head.

"Eeew!  That's gwoss!" He squeaked playfully, but nonetheless buried himself between his parent's bodies.  

"Oh?  And how would you know, mister?" Miyu asked, running her fingers through her son's fine brown hair.  Takashi had turned out looking more like her than like Larva; the features of his round face were delicate and Faye-like, and there was no doubt that he would be a beauty when we grew up.  Well, he was beautiful now, but he would have to beat off the suitors with a stick.  He did, how ever, have his father's blood-red eyes, but he made them seem innocent and care-free.

Takashi did not answer her question.  "Mommy, can I feel the baby?  Is the baby moving?"

"Well, let's just see." Miyu took her son's hand and placed it against her stomach.  For a few moments, nothing happened, until…

"I felt it!" Takashi squealed happily.  "She must wike me!"

"I'm sure she does." Miyu said, pulling the boy into a close hug, feeling Larva move a moment later to pull them both close in one warm embrace.

Several moments later, the activities of outside play finally caught up with Takashi and he was soon fast asleep, nestled warmly between his parents.  In the comforting glow of the fire and the gentle crackling noises emitted from the burning logs, Miyu relished in the feeling of the warmth of Takashi's small body pressed against her side, and the feeling of Larva's arms around her, holding her close, his long fingers gently caressing the smooth skin of her cheek.  Never before in her life had she felt so happy, so content than as she was right now…

As an adult…

As a wife…

As a mother…

Larva's fingers traced along her jaw, tilting her head up so golden orbs could meet ruby ones.

"I love you."

"I love you too…"  Their lips met each other's in a deep kiss that nullified the use of any more words.  And in that perfect moment, Miyu knew why her soul felt so fulfilled.

I am living my dream… 

_And I would not trade it for the world._

***

The End 

***


End file.
